Starfish
by Ariz0na-Sky
Summary: "I want to start over." An unexpected wish was granted for Emma Swan after her little stint in Phoenix. Arriving in The Enchanted Forest changed not just her life, but also those of two others. See how she forms two friendships with two vastly different people and how all their lives changed because of it. AU/Canon Storybrooke S1. Major Changes/AU for S2 planned.
1. Pirates

**AN: I don't own OUAT, I'm just a fan doing this for the fun. I hope you enjoy this revised chapter. I didn't like a few of the things I had in my old story, and it just didn't flow right for me, so I decided to revise the story so that it would flow much better. I hope you all enjoy this improved verson.  
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* * *

The smell of the ocean hit Emma full in the face, with the gentle cold wind that blew around her. The sight of the ocean, seeing the blue and green waves rolling on the horizon left a yearning in her soul, the one missing piece that was gone, is temporarily filled. She feels the white sand under her toes, massaging her feet.

Alone, she stands on the beach watching the ocean. She was just released from her prison in Phoenix two days prior. She didn't own anything, except the Baby Blanket, until her release. Then suddenly she owned their yellow VW Bug and inside of it two-thousand dollars was found under the seat hidden in a black backpack.

The first thing she wanted to do when she got released was to start over. So she wanted to go see the ocean, and so that's what she did. Emma drove up the Oregon's coast to her new destination. Yeah, she could've driven to California, but that would've been a predictable place to see the ocean.

Memories started to play in the troubled woman's mind. Memories of her youth. Of never finding a place called home, no family. She almost had a family once. Never again though. She wouldn't allow herself to fall for that ruse again. She gave up the one bright spot in her dark life, but that was because she knew, deep down that she wouldn't be able to provide a good life to the child. He would grow up, hopefully with parents who would love him unconditionally. As for her, it was already too late. She was alone in the world again. No one loved her. She would love herself, she was the only one that mattered.

The wind that was blowing had started to pick up, and the previous white clouded sky was becoming darker. It was mirroring what she had felt in her soul. Dark, dangerous and lonely thoughts, coupled with anger, years of anger that had gradually turned from simmering to boiling.

She picked up a starfish that was by her feet, wished that she could be free and start over, and threw the fish as hard and as far as she could back into the ocean. The gusts of wind that were blowing over her had given her goosebumps, so she picked up her shoes from the sand and jogged back to her car.

She got inside her car, her safe haven and pulled on her jacket. Her fingers drumming on the steering wheel in thought. Finally after a few moments she turned the key in the ignition and prepared to leave. Before she got the chance to shift the gear from park to drive, the dark clouds from before sent a bolt of lightning directly at her car. A flash of light, brighter than anything she's ever seen enveloped her vision.

* * *

When her vision cleared and the spots had finally gone away she noticed she wasn't sitting in her car anymore. Instead she was sitting outside of a worn down building in the street. She blinked thinking she was dreaming. This place looked like one of those villages from the Renaissance Festival that she snuck into one year. _'Where am I?'_ She thought to herself.

Suddenly she heard a group of people walking up, in a panic she dashed to the side of the building and peered out the side of it watching the group approach. A group of men passed her into the building, all dressed like pirates. _'Pirates? I must be dreaming.'_ She looked up to see that the sign had what looked like a mug of some sort. _'Figures. It must be a tavern or bar of some sort. What's going on?'_

Emma looked around her surroundings thinking that there's got to be something she could nab. She's sticking out like a sore thumb. Dumpster diving she's done before, so she's not squeamish about having to go through the garbage, she's found what appears to be where they toss unwanted things. All she notices are rags and mismatched clothes. Picking up some of the articles of clothing and dashing even further into the shadows she changed.

She walked back into the street she had first found herself in. There she saw her reflection in a puddle on the cobblestone street. Dressed in dark woolen leggings and a knitted shirt that made her look like she was a 12 year old girl in her older brother's shirts. She pulled a dark gray cloak on over her head. That helped disguise herself. Leather knee high boots she wore on her feet. The only article of clothes that she wore previously that she took with her. _'No blisters, at least I can wear something my feet are already formed with.'_

With a deep and steady breath, she pulled her hood over her head and walked into the bar. Laughing and conversations erupted into her ears as soon as she walked into the building. She made her way to the bar. "Um, excuse me Sir?"

A scruffy looking man with a scar over his eye landed on the counter looking at her. He quirked an eyebrow, the only signal she got that he was listening. "Where am I? I am not from her and I just came into town."

"We are small enough to not have a name." His scratchy, yet smooth voice answers her. "We're near the coast. We get ships that dock here from time to time. Some travelers come through here, but most never stay long, just passing through mostly. There's not much else to say about our town."

"Oh, okay. Thank you." She sits down and the man walks away to fill another order for someone else. _'I need to figure out where I am so I can get home.'_ She didn't want to think that this was a dream. It was too vivid and realistic. She hasn't had a dream since she was really young.

Raising her hand the man from earlier walks back. "Are you looking for any help? I need a job and a place to stay. Or do you know of a place that's hiring?" She then lowers her hood so her face shows. She's praying that this isn't a brothel of some sorts, otherwise she's going to look elsewhere. Sure her life sucks, but she's got more pride and dignity then sleeping for money.

The man looks her up and down. "I could use more help around here. But have you ever worked at a tavern before?"

Emma shook her head and sadly replied, "No." Then seeing his attention was quickly diminishing she quickly added, "I'm a quick learner. I am looking for a place to start over. A new beginning of sorts. I won't disappoint you."

Thinking it over the man, the man looked at Emma then sighing he finally gives her an answer. "I am rather short on help. I'll give you a deal. You will work for free tonight, so I can see how well you do, you get a free meal that's it. If you do well, I'll hire you."

Emma thought it over, she didn't want to work for free, but she thought this sounded like a pretty good deal to her. If starting over meant working a day for free, then she'll take it. Nodding at the man, she extended her hand and shook his agreeing to the term. "Sure. Thank you for this chance."

He just nodded one more time then said, "You can be a barmaid of mine. Serve up drinks, flirt, charm the customers." He looks at the clothes she's wearing. "You need new clothes. Here follow me." He then leads her to the room in back, "Pick out something." He then closes the door.

About ten minutes later she emerges from the back room, blond hair pulled to the side, a white and green dress with a bit of maroon thrown in, a slit up the side, she kept her boots from earlier on. He whistled low in approval. "You picked out a good one lass." He looked her up and down.

She didn't feel uncomfortable. He wasn't looking at her like a pervert, more like the professional he was. That put her at ease. She can do this. She can take care of herself too.

"Well, now that you're going to work here, what's your name Missy?"

"It's Emma. Just Emma." She didn't want to give her last name. It's not safe to give people your full name. She learned that the hard way.

"Alright Emma. Here's your tray, all these go to the table there in the back." He points to the table where the pirates that passed her earlier all sat at."

Emma walks up to the group and puts a smile on her face. Nodding at each man while she puts a drink down in front of each one. "Would you like anything else?"

One of the pirates, a handsome looking man in dark black leather, piercing blue eyes and stubble grabbed her hand when she put the drink down in front of her. "My my, what's your name? I haven't seen you around here before." He smiles at her with a welcoming, charming grin.

Emma pulls her hand out of his grasp. "My name is Emma. I just started today. What's your name?" Part of the job was talking up the customers. She knew men like him. Pure Charmers who think the world revolves around them. She can be friendly, doesn't mean she's going to sleep with anyone.

"Killian Jones love, at your service." He then waves his hand to the rest of the men at his table. "This here is my crew. We stop here often on our way through the ports and portals."

_'Portals? Yeah I must be dreaming.'_

A dark haired woman walks over to the table and sits next to Killian. "This here is Milah." The now introduced woman sat down and nodded at Emma, then completely ignored her afterwards.

"I could use a shot of rum next, lass." Captain Jones requested.

Nodding once at him, "Alright, I'll be right back with that." Turning towards the rest of the table she gives them all a smile then says, "Glad to meet you all. If you need anything else, feel free to wave me over." Emma said with a smile.

Walking away Emma is starting to take orders at the other tables, then goes to the bar to fill them. Throughout the night she feels Killian sneaking looks at her and trying to get her attention again, and she ignores him. She's not here to flirt, well, other than what's required for her job.

* * *

Killian and his crew visited every night that week. Some nights Milah was there, other nights she wasn't. Emma was getting to know Killian better after each visit. He got her to laugh a few times with his stories and humor. She still ignored his attempts to seduce her though.

"...that's why I'm looking for a Magic Bean." Killian was leaning next to Emma at the bar. Then turned when Milah put her arms around Killian's waist.

Emma noticed Killian hide a grimace when Milah put her arms around him. He turned around and gave her a hug. "Hey Milah. I thought you were spending today with your son?" He asked, genuinely curious. Sure he and Milah had their fun. She's interesting, and yes they've had their fun in his quarters, but she knows he isn't a one woman man. He wished she'd get the hint and leave him alone. If there's one person he's truly getting interested in, it is this 'Emma' with no last name. She's feisty, and quick with the banters. She's fun, and a challenge, a breath of fresh air in this stale place in his life.

"I was. He went with his father into the next town over. I didn't want to join them. I hate it. You know that. That coward. Everyone stares at us when we leave the house together. It's miserable."

Emma's thoughts race. She's married and she's here flirting with Killian when she has a husband and child. A family. God if it's one thing Emma hates, it's people who have family, people who care for them and treat it as nothing. She knows nothing, she's lived it. Her temper has gotten the best out of her. She jabs her fingers into Milah's chest and starts to lay into her, "You know what!? You need to go. Be with your husband. You need to work whatever issues you have out! You have a husband, a son, both who probably love you, and you're spending your time away from them! How dare you! Do you not care at all, do you not have a soul?!"

Milah's mouth stood agape, the same with Killian. No one had ever yelled at her like that. She glared at Emma and turned around and walked away. Killian smiled at Emma. "Wow, lass..."

Before he could continue to talk, Emma stood with a finger in his chest next. "And you! You knew this?! You could be the reason their family is tearing apart! Do you not care? You aren't just ruining Milah's life, but three lives! She, her husband and her son's!" She turns around and attempts to walk away when one of Killian's hands grabs Emma's shoulders and turns her around to face him.

His face is dark, pink covers his cheeks like he's been slapped, but it was worse. He was embarrassed. No woman embarrasses him and gets away with it. He leans towards Emma's face, his nose inches away from hers and he speaks low, she had to strain to hear him. "Let's talk outside, Emma." He then leads her outside to the side alley.

"I am a Pirate Emma. I've had many women over the years. It's just for fun. To relieve stress. She knew this. Everyone takes that risk when they sleep with someone else! I care for her. As a friend. That's it!" His face that was angry before now softens. "I don't want to rip someone away from their family. That's their choice. I was actually going to ask if you'd want to join my crew."

Emma stood there in shock. _'Me on a boat? For real?'_ Looking at him suspiciously she asks him, "Why?"

"Well for one, love, I think you'd make an awesome pirate."

Emma raised her eyebrow at that, she must have been hanging out with him too much. His mannerisms with the eyebrow are starting to stick with her. "That's it? You think I'll just make a good pirate? I gave up the thieving life, I don't need to start that again."

"No, not just because you'd make an excellent pirate. I can see in your eyes you're a wanderer. You're getting sick of this place already. Our lives are made up for traveling, and I can see you want to travel." He looked at her with a smug grin and leaned in a bit, his eyes piercing Emma's gaze, "As for your old life. We aren't just a bunch of thieves. We go searching for treasure. We look out for each other. You don't even have to do any pirating, you can just enjoy the ride."

Emma scoffed at the innuendo and pushed him away from her, then thought it over. She is getting a bit restless, and the adventures do sound amazing. "I have a deal with you. I'll travel with you for two months. If I don't like it, you bring me back here and I resume my life, away from you and the pirating."

Killian wore a brilliant smile and nodded saying, "Yes. Deal." Then took Emma's hand and kissed it while looking up at her.

She just rolled her eyes at that and pulled her hand away, "So, this is really happening. Really? No Joke?

Killian puts his arm around her shoulders in a friendly gesture and replies back, "Really. No joke." A smile graces his handsome face. "Just to reinforce what I told you before love, I think you'd make an excellent Pirate, lass."

"So, when do we leave?" Her excitement is slowly bubbling, and starting to overflow, this dream she's been having has been great, she almost doesn't want to wake up.

"Tomorrow." They then smile and go their separate ways.

After they both leave a form moves out of a darkened shadow, then leaves in another direction.

* * *

That night Emma walks into her last night working and sees Milah there again. 'Of course' She thinks bitterly to herself. She can't stand her. She wouldn't have any problems with the woman if she had just fixed her family life instead of being at the tavern so much.

This night it's jammed packed, order after order, Emma didn't really get a chance to relax. She scanned the bar and noticed Milah and Killian's group are all laughing together. A lot of the people that were regulars, and the non frequenters showed up, it was almost like the little town knows it's Emma's last night with them. She was friendly to them all, but wasn't really close to them either, but she's grown on the villagers since she's been there. Well, the villagers that she sees in the tavern.

She's talking to her boss, Levi, at the bar when she sees a man she's never seen before walk in with a limp and a cane. He looks around nervously until his eyes stop at the table Killian is at. She doesn't know what's said, because of the volume of the tavern, but whatever this stranger says, he and Milah are the ones engaged in the conversation. Killian says something and the whole table laughs. Until a boy enters and Milah up and leaves with him and the stranger.

_'Must be her family. Will she ever learn?'_ Emma thinks bitterly to herself. Then another table waves her over and her thoughts leave as she quickly gets back to work.

After Emma's shift is over she's outside leaning on the building. The outside cool air feels nice on her hot skin. She's happy. Happier than she's been. She knows tomorrow will bring even more joy. She gets to sail around the world with her friends, what more could she ask for? Looking up she sees a cluster of stars in the sky oddly in the shape of a star. She then feels a hard hit on the back of her head, and her world goes dark.

* * *

Rope. That's the first thing Emma feels when she comes out of her forced sleep. A moan escapes her and she lifts her head, eyesight blurry, trying to get into focus. There in front of her stands Milah, an evil smirk upon her face. "Ah. Glad to see you're awake." She then yanks Emma's hair, forcing her face to come inches towards Milah's face. "I don't know what Killian sees in you girl, but come tomorrow he won't remember a thing about you!"

"Whoa.. What? Why? What are you doing?" Emma struggles against the rope, and against her own hair that's betraying her.

Milah lets Emma's hair go and slaps her across the face. "That's for embarrassing me in front of all of my friends!" She then stabs Emma in the leg with a dagger, and smiles sinisterly when she hears Emma's screams. "I bought a potion. Which I gave my dear, dear Killian tonight. Making who ever his affections are for, redirect themselves onto the next person he sees. Me!"

Emma, who's getting a hold of her emotions, because she's been through worse than one stab wound, gasps out, "You're sick! You fucking bitch."

Milah then punches Emma in the face, making her head snap to the side. "You don't know anything yet, whore!" She then slices Emma's face, and then beats her prisoner until she's lying motionless on the ground. Stabbing her once more in the leg and leaving the knife there, she then starts to walk away. Her footsteps getting quieter the father she goes, leaving Emma there, laying on the cold sandy ground.

* * *

A tickling sensation brings Emma to consciousness. A groan escapes her. As her eyesight comes to, she notices she's back on a beach. Not the one in Oregon, but the one in her unnamed seaside town. The sound of the waves crashing near her, and then water flowing over her feet quickly jump start Emma's brain. She tries to jump up, then moans in pain. She notices her hands are still tied in front of her, the dagger still in her leg. Ignoring her aches and pains she reaches down and pulls the dagger out of her leg, then cuts her binds.

She manages to wobble onto the docks leaning on a piece of driftwood she found. Limping closer to the lone ship near the docks, she watches in agony Killian mocking the stranger from last night, trying to get him to duel to win his wife back. The man didn't have a chance, left. Emma sadly watches Killian's ship leaving the docks. She tries to get Killian's attention and waves at his ship, but his gaze never landed on her.

Emma, seeing the closest person she got to know, leaving like a jackass, and not the man he claimed had "Good Form" cries. She cries because of her stupidity for letting herself fall for another jerk. Even though he wormed his way into her heart. She was slowly letting him into her closed off world and then he goes and does that! She thought that she was going to be alone forever again, and here she goes, losing the closest person she let in. The world, not even in her dreams can give her a break.

Her eyes are closed and she hears a soft accented voice near her speak. "Are... Are you okay miss?"

Emma looks up startled, noticing the stranger from earlier looking at her with concern. "You're injured, do you need help?"

She sniffles, then gets a hold of herself, steels her voice and answers truthfully. "Yes. If it's not too much trouble?"

"No of course not. Come. Follow me." The two of them then limp towards his house. She thought the silence would be slightly awkward since neither knew each other, instead it was oddly comfortable.

When they managed to get inside his house, a small boy's voice sounded through the silence. "Did you get mother?"

The stranger then nods his head, "No, she's dead."

Emma who knew the truth, didn't reveal it. This was a painful thing. Neither of these two souls knew what had happened to Milah. She wouldn't make it worse for either of them. The stranger then turns towards Emma and his hand points towards a bench in the corner. "Please, sit. Let me tend to your wounds miss." He turns around and gets the few meager supplies that he has, then turns around, seeing Emma sitting down. "What's your name?"

Emma, not wanting to give out her first name now. After all, that new life she had is over, and it's too painful. The desire to start all over again. She can't go back to that tavern now. Too many painful memories. "Swan." She answers. "You may call me Swan."

She looks up to the stranger that Milah talked so much about. The 'Coward' she was so embarrassed about, of being his family. He was kind, helped her out. She then made the decision. She would help this man out. Be there for him and his son. Be a friend to them, because she knows how it is to feel alone in this world.

As the stranger and his son helped dress her wounds, a few moments later he finally spoke again."My son's name is Baelfire. He's five, and will be turning six in a few days." Pausing to add pressure on a knife wound, and trying to distract Swan from the pain he kept talking. "You may call me Rumpelstiltskin."

**AN: This is going to be my first multi-chapter OUAT story. I will try and update when I can, but it won't be scheduled updates. If you can, please R&R. This is a fun thing that I'm doing when I get the chance to. I hope you'll enjoy this! :)**


	2. Stiltz

**AN: Here's the next installment of my story. Have fun! :D**

* * *

The little hut she stayed in was a quaint little home. It wasn't much, but what it lacked in riches and grandeur, it more then made up for it in coziness.

Swan was enjoying her stay, and while she was slowly healing she got to know more about her new roommates. She was told more and more about her friend's life and through him, his son Bae's. Bae wasn't around much; he was outside with his friends usually. He never spoke to her, but she was fine with it. She wasn't going to push him into talking to her. She knew the signs. She knows, she's gone through that phase before. It was too difficult to deal with, losing a mother, so he engaged himself with others to ease the pain. The two of them are hardly ever together, but that's fine anyway because she gets along with his dad, who in her opinion was better company anyway. Sure she'd help Bae out if he ever wants to talk, but she won't push him into talking about his feelings, until he's ready to.

Ah yes, her new friend that helped tend to her wounds, has even taught her a bit on learning how to spin wool. She wanted to do something to help out with. She isn't a freeloader, and so he taught her. She is fascinated by it, a quick learner. Between them is comfortable silence as they both work. They talk at times, getting to know each other little by little. Swan tells him about how she used to be a thief before she came into town. She talked about the way she grew up and she had to move from home to home and never actually having a family. Her host ended up eventually opening up about his time in the Ogre Wars, and that he was sent home because of an injury.

Thinking about the war conversations she pauses in the middle of her working and speaks softly. "Stiltz?" Ah Stiltz, which is the name that she's taken to calling him, much to his exasperated sighs every time she says it, deep down she knows that he's grown on it.

"Yes?" He stops what he's doing and pushes his medium length hair behind him. His warm dark eyes landed and focused on her own green eyes.

"I don't want to pry much, but what happened to you on the field? I mean, you don't have to answer if it's too difficult. I know the soldiers who fought in war back home don't like to talk about it much. I am here for you though, if you need anyone to talk to."

A sigh escapes from the man in front of her. A long moment passes and she thinks it's too painful for him to answer and is about to get back to spinning when her friend finally answers her, his voice soft, in pain. "I was posted in front of this prisoner who ended up being a Seer." His eyes looked at her, yet they weren't looking at her, more like he was seeing something that wasn't there and not focused on her.

"She said my actions on the battlefield would result in my son being fatherless." His vision returns and he's looking at Swan in the eyes. "After some of the things she said had started to come true I made the decision to listen to her. So I wanted to go home, to be there for my unborn son and my wife. I crippled myself, and for the result of my actions I'm labeled as a coward." Rumplestiltskin closes his eyes, the past being a little difficult of him to actually talk about.

Thirty seconds later Rumple feels arms around him, and for the first time in years someone has touched him, held him. His arms go around his friend in a tight hug and he doesn't let go, he just basks in the feeling of someone being there for him. "No. I don't think you're a coward. You did what you thought was best. No one knows the future. The future is a fickle thing. It's all Cause and Effect. I'm sorry your decision has given you this grief. It will pass, in time."

She leans back and looks at her friend. "Whatever happens, I'm told happens for a reason. We may never know the reasons for our actions, or how those actions will affect us. You wanted to be there for your son. That's more than what I had. I never had parents. Bae is lucky to have a father that would be there for him."

Rumple looks at his friend and he smiles a genuine smile. He hasn't smiled a true smile in many years; his last smile was when he held his baby boy for the first time. "Thank you Swan." He looks around, a bit embarrassed, "Let's get back to work, shall we?" Swan takes the little brush-off in stride. She smiles back and they both get back to work in companionable silence.

* * *

Two weeks later Emma finds herself fully healed and jittery. She isn't used to staying in one place for a long time. She's used to being shuffled about from home to home, and it's ingrained into her. It's a difficult habit to break. This morning she had talked with Stiltz and Bae and explained that she was going to go explore the world for a while. That she isn't used to staying still. The two of them understood.

So here she is standing in front of her home, Rumple and Bae outside with her. "Here you go dearie." He hands her a sack and continues to talk, "You'll always have a place to stay when you come and visit." He brings Swan in for a hug and kisses her on the cheek. "Be safe! Here." He brings out a small dagger he had hidden behind him. "It's not much, but it should be sufficient enough so you can defend yourself."

Swan's eyes go wide in surprise and she examines the dagger. It's a worn looking weapon, not fancy at all. The handle wooden, and has a small swan carved on it. Her eyes start to tear up, this is the greatest gift she's ever received! Sure she got the VW Bug but that's because he wanted her to forgive him through gifts, so she assumed. This was the first present anyone has given her, and she has nothing to give him in return, and she says that exact thing. "Thank you Stiltz! I don't have anything to give you though."

He waves her fears away and speaks. "Being there for me was the greatest gift I could've asked for. I don't need a thing! I can be happy knowing that I'm not alone in the world, that I have a friend I can count on." He brings her in for another hug, tightens his grip then lets her go.

Bae then walks up to Swan and for the first time he actually speaks to her since she's been there, "Thank you for being a friend to my Papa." He then smiles at her, hugs her, and then let's her go.

"No problem kiddo. I'm here for you as well kid." She smiles back at him, then waves one last time to her roommates and turns around and walks into the woods, her new dagger at her side, and her piece of driftwood turned walking/beating stick in her hands.

* * *

"Ahhh!" Emma screams, running from a pair of wolves that were chasing her. They are huge! She had noticed that she was being followed a few hours after leaving town. She's breathing hard, adrenaline had pushed her far longer than she thought capable, when suddenly she shoots forward, tumbling onto the ground. Her stick flew from her hands in front of her. "Oof" she grunts as the air gets knocked out of her.

She gets to her knees and she sees she's surrounded by two wolves, each one growling at her. Hunger clouds their eyes, and she knows she's in trouble. One lunges at her and she moves to her side and grabs her stick, smacking the wolf next to her. It connects to the wolf's skull with a resounding crack. She doesn't have time to feel joy for that hit, for the other wolf jumps onto her chest, crashing her to the ground. Grabbing her dagger off her side she doesn't have time to think when the wolf that was on her chest goes in for her throat she reacts, the dagger stabbing into the wolf's neck, and the wolf lands on her, motionless.

She isn't safe, she's trapped under this dead wolf and she feels the wolf she smacked earlier, tearing into her exposed leg that wasn't under the wolf. She cries and a burst of light shoots out of her sending the mauling wolf into a tree with a sickening thud, and slides down it, not moving.

Emma lays there under the wolf for a while, her breathing getting easier and lighter, her chest not huffing with exhaustion. The bad part of the adrenaline residing means that the pain in her leg comes back full force. She groans in agony. _'I have to move, I can't stay here._' She shoves the wolf that was laying on top of her off of her, and looks at her mutilated leg. 'What do I do?' She thinks to herself in a panic. She touches her shredded leg and winces. _'Please, please, please.'_ She thinks to herself. Her unvoiced plea, her deepest wish and desire was answered. She watched in awe her hands shimmering gold and the shredded skin repairing itself.

Five minutes later she's staring at her repaired leg. Not even a scar was left over. She stands wobbly to her feet and is amazed that not even an ache was present. Her clothes though, they've seen better days. Her woolen tan leggings, one leg is torn were her leg was attacked. There was a tear in the knee on the other leg from when she biffed it onto the forest floor. Her dark forest green shirt has seen better days, but at least it's intact. She's pleased to notice that her black cloak wasn't torn.

She walked over to her stick and picked it up, while putting her dagger back to her side where she kept it last. She continued her journey, looking for a place to camp, or stay for the night.

Dusk hits and exhaustion hits Emma, when she finally sees smoke from a fire. She knows it's not wise to trust every stranger, but she's willing to try and risk it, if only for a place to stay tonight. She quickens her pace and comes across a camp with two figures. They're arguing loudly, something about magic. There's an older man, old but good looking, like Patrick Stewart who in Emma's opinion is probably never going to age. The other man that was there was an older looking man, but grizzled and really gnarled looking. "For the last time, I'm not going to help you! You have only yourself to blame for the curse you're stuck with! I will not help you for your foolishness Zoso!"

"Then die!" The crazy looking old man said to the Patrick Stewart looking one. A flash of lights crash into each other and the two start throwing magic at each other. It looks like the Aurora Borealis of light shows between them.

Emma, with all of her luck sneezes, which in turn has one of the lights shoot straight at her in reflex. Her world got smaller, and smaller. She blinked looking at the two gentlemen who stopped fighting and they both stared at her. The one named Zoso laughed then disappeared in a flash of light leaving Emma alone with this other guy.

He just looked at Emma a few times without blinking, but then a few moments pass and he started to walk over to her. He stops a few feet from her and he's towering over her form, and he ends up bending down with a grin on his face. "Well well, who are you little one?"

**_'Little?! Who is this guy?'_** She attempts to yell at the man and the noises coming from her mouth are little chips and not at all her voice. She gulps and finally looks down at herself. She's covered in… Fur? _'What?'_ Her eyes widen in surprise as she notices her hands are small paws and her feet aren't hers anymore.

The man in front of her does a little hand wave and poof a mirror appears in his hands and she sees her reflection staring back at her... _'NO! Can't I ever get a break?! What is with this crazy ass dream place!?'_ What's looking back at Emma is a squirrel. Like Rocky and Bullwinkle, not the moose, the squirrel.

"Come, my little pet. You'll be my new familiar now." He says while picking her up and putting her on his shoulder. "You have nowhere else to be, so why not come with me, hmm?" He speaks with a deep voice of velvet. "I am Merlin."

* * *

**AN: Hope you enjoyed this chapter; it was really fun to write. I have a lot of ideas planned for this story. It will be long, but not too long, I promise it'll be a fun journey :)**


	3. Merlin

**AN: I really, really enjoyed writing this chapter and I hope you all enjoy reading it, as I had writing it! :) R&R please and thank you. :D Have a great day!**

* * *

The first day she was with Merlin, he took her to his home that was hidden by magic, in a tree. She thought it was strange when he first walked right up to the massive oak and pushed his body into it. The tree had shimmered and let them pass, and what lay on the other side of it, was a small castle.

Merlin had treated her well, for the most part. She felt at times that he was a few screws short in the head, for he was a brilliant man; however he was lonely, and not used to company. He acted at times as if he was a four year old who couldn't sit still, and his entertainment was hunting bugs to torture. Then there were times he would speak with such clarity and wisdom that she would feel at peace with herself and the situation she was in.

That man, though, he drives her crazy with his endless changing moods. He's nice and warm one day, and then he may wake up from a nap that same day and just want to destroy everything in his path. Throughout all of his rage episodes though, he never hit Emma. In a way, he was the closest thing to a father figure that she's ever had, and she's a squirrel now.

Eventually she got used to the many moods, and faces of Merlin, and took them in stride. She managed to fly though the emotions and masks he put up with the changing of the tide. **_"Yes, I would make a damn good pirate."_** She muttered to herself one morning after her 'Master' left on some business that needed attending to.

Emma often wondered how her old friend Killian was doing. If he was still being a jerk, or if he learned to treat people better. If he was enjoying his adventures and she wondered if he had forgotten her. She wanted to get in touch with him somehow, but didn't know how she could. A pirate was really hard to find, until one decided to take over your ship.

Three years have passed, and on this day Merlin couldn't be found anywhere. If he was going to go out, he would normally let her know. She ended up finding her way into Merlin's main study when he decided to make his presence known; with a troubling frown upon his face. "I need to tell you something." He explained as soon as he walked in.

"As you know from living here for a few years with me, life for me may be a bit lonely, and so from time to time I travel, or even cause some chaos. It's to lighten the mood." He smiles as he sits in a chair. "I even go by Loki in some legends." He chuckles at that, the thought amuses him.

"I know many things, I know of everything about anyone, as long as I can see into their eyes. When I look into a person's eyes I can see their past, and their future. You my dear have had an interesting life so far. It shall only continue to get stranger. You can either accept it or not. Knowledge is power dear, but keep an open mind with the path you choose to live, for other people may cross your path and may affect your path in strange and chaotic ways. Like my involvement for instance." He points to himself and chuckles.

She tilts her head in confusion to that. _'How?'_ she wonders to herself.

He continues where his previous thoughts cut off. "Remember I just said others can cross your path and change the course of it?" Emma nods her small head at that question. "Nothing is set in stone, there are choices for everything, and things that you aren't in control of, say someone else's actions in your life, can have an effect on your own."

Merlin stands up and walks to a shelf on the other side of the room and sighs. He picks up a book, a worn book that had seen better days. Its edges are frayed and torn. A few moments pass between the two when he starts to speak again, "I have caused many, many changes over the years with people." At this he turns around and looks at Emma, a sad emotion flickered in his eyes for a brief moment then vanishes and a bit of a sadistic glee replaced it as quickly as the last emotion passed. "I am a gray magic user as you already know. I am not good, or bad. I've done many great deeds, and even more countless, horrible deeds in my lifetime."

Silently he moves back to the chair and sits down, putting the old book on his lap. "I do have to apologize to you Emma, for one of my misdeeds ended up making a big impact on you, and not just for you. This ripple that I have caused shall be massive indeed." His eyes clear up of any emotion and his face is unreadable after that comment.

At that Emma scurried on over towards Merlin, and climbed up his legs into his lap. "**_What did you do?"_**

A massive sigh escapes the aged warlock under her, and he spoke, with softness in his voice. Emma had to strain to hear his words. "I sold a potion I made to a woman who wanted to change her life, her fate. She was in love with another man and I thought I would cause a little mischief, I was bored."

His voice gained strength as he spoke and he looked at her in the eyes when he continued, watching for her reaction at this next bit of his story. "I knew she was going to do some wicked things, I saw it in her eyes. Of course you were in her thoughts. There are catches, I can't read another person's path through another's eyes, and so I did not know that you already had a destiny entwined with our world. I saw in her mind that she was going to kidnap and beat you, while leaving you to drown when the tide came in."

Emma's eyes widen. He was talking about when Milah did all those nasty things to her. "**_You! You did all that because you were bored!?"_** She climbed up to his chest and pushed her finger into the man's nose, and continued to rant her frustrations and anger at him. "**_You're a sick, twisted manipulative bastard!"_** She wanted to say more, but in her anger she couldn't even think of anything to shout at the old man in her vision.

Merlin stood up quickly, which ended up making Emma lose her balance and she dropped to the floor. "I understand your anger and frustrations child." He bends down to his knees and looks at her through his stormy gray eyes.

Emma's head is hanging down, she's pissed, and sad, and tangled up with many emotions. Tears are falling out of her eyes down her furry cheeks, farther down her face and fall to the floor. A hiccup escapes her, and coming out of a squirrel's mouth, Merlin almost chuckled. He held back a laugh behind a hand, controlled himself and broke the tense silence between them. "I have some news for you dear; for this one misdeed I have cast upon you, I want to make it up."

At that her head snaps up and she looks at Merlin through jaded eyes. **_'How can I trust you now, knowing you had a hand in causing me so much pain and that uses people's lives for entertainment?_**'

"I'm the only chance you have, that's why." He answers her 'unvoiced' question. He continues to talk, standing up he looks down at Emma's small form. "I can see that you are a natural born magic user. Not meant for this time, or place, but you've already set your own ripples from being here."

Emma climbed up the chair that was in the room and sat down on the back of it, so she didn't have to strain to look up at the tall man above her. "**_What do you mean?"_**

"I cannot say too much, well I can, but I've caused many changes already that I'm not going to tell you a lot of things." He then points in the book that he had gotten from the shelf earlier. "Your friend, Killian; there is a way for you to still be able to talk to each other."

_**"Really?" **_Her thoughts soar in happiness, **_"I can have my friend back?"_**

Before she could continue her train of thoughts Merlin interrupts her with a crushing blow, "Yes, but it'll be in a different way. You see, while he is awake, he will believe he is with whoever his eyes landed on after consuming the potion. It gets rid of other feelings he may have had for another and with those feelings gone, he can focus his feelings onto the next person he sees. But..." At that Emma's crushing heart leapt back into her chest and it's pounding loudly in her ears. "You may visit the whole, uncursed Killian in the Dreamlands."

He pauses to let those words sink into Emma. He then continues, "The Dreamlands are where everyone goes. Even in a cursed state, everyone goes into the Dreamlands. For some, the effects are a fiery room, but then those go away eventually, and when that goes away they're free to be themselves and be where they want to be. People may meet up with each other. That's where the saying, 'See you in my dreams comes from, because you can see each other in your dreams."

At that Emma smiles, and is really happy knowing that she can visit her friend somehow. She knows that they had a connection. Even if it was brief, and although she didn't want to rush into anything, she could've seen herself eventually trusting Killian enough to hold her heart. _'But it has been so long since I've seen him.'_ Her thoughts tinged with worry. _'If he's a jerk, I don't want anything to do with him.'_

With the next words Merlin spoke to her, her mood just crashed to the ground further. "There's a catch though. I will teach you how to navigate the Dreamscape and you will be able to meet up with one person, however; if the being you visit is cursed in some way and you visit them and warn them of the ailment, you will end up being cursed as well. It's a failsafe to the potions I make. You won't remember anything after that first conversation between the pair of you."

He continues his speech towards his daughter figure. "This means after the first visit, you won't remember your dreams. You will be living two separate lives. You and Killian won't remember what goes on in Dreamland while awake; and when you're awake you'll continue to live your lives, not knowing what's going on in Dreamland."

Emma didn't even think about her next thoughts before they projected themselves onto Merlin. "**_It's worth it. Please teach me!"_** As those thoughts crash into him, he nods.

* * *

Emma felt like she was walking through peanut butter surrounded by mist. Every movement she made was sluggish and forced. In her dream she appeared as herself, squirrel free, she was human. She concentrated on her memory of Killian. Tried to project her thoughts, to will him to her. She stopped her movements, and breathed in, and let it out slow. She relaxed, just like Merlin told her, and then willed herself to Killian instead.

In a blink of an eye she wasn't trapped and her surrounding cleared up. She stood on a ship and there in front of her, back to her was Killian, looking out to the ocean. She took a small step forward and instead of the entrance she practiced upon she slipped on water that was on the deck. With a shriek she fell backwards on her butt.

At the commotion behind him Killian turned around, his surprised face turned into a happy one and he rushed to her and quickly helped Emma stand up. "Ah love, fancy meeting you here." He drew Emma in for a hug. She briefly hugs her friend back, but then backs up and then promptly punches him in the face, and a loud crack was heard.

"Ow! What the hell was that for lass?" Hold his nose in pain he looked at his fingers which were already stained with his blood.

"That's for being a jackass! Why did you treat that man on the boat like crap?" She fumed, pissed off at him.

Looking at the fiery woman in front of him he said, "A man who doesn't fight for what he wants, deserves what he gets. If he had even attempted a try at winning his wife back, and failed, I would have kicked Milah off my boat, because at least he fought for her." Grabbing a a black scrap of cloth from his pocket he holds it under his nose. "He didn't fight for her, so he didn't deserve her."

"Do you really care for her that much?" She whispered.

"Milah? No. I only like her as a friend. I've told her that plenty of times while we were in town. I honestly was interested in getting to know you more."

Sighing Emma looked at her friend Killian over and knowing she was here for a reason decided to speak up. "I have many, many things to tell you. Can we go somewhere comfortable, it's going to be a long talk." She went straight to the point, she couldn't afford to waste time.

Killian's eyebrow rose and he nodded. He held out his arm for Emma to take hold of, and deciding to take a chance, looped her arm through it. They quickly made way to his captains quarters and opened the door. He reluctantly let go of her arm when they entered and showed her to a chair she so could make herself comfortable in. He decided to sit on his bed and stayed silent. He broke the silence first. "I invited you along with us all, you seemed excited to join the crew. If you saw that incident on my ship why were you not on it? What happened love?"

"What do you remember of that day Killian?"

"I remember I invited you and Milah to my ship. Milah decided to leave her husband instead of stringing him along." Pointing towards his nose he continued, "As you know, and smacked me for. I still think you'd make a wonderful pirate, especially with a hit like that." A grin split his face while he remembered. "You never showed up, I thought you decided to stay there instead." His Irish accent thickened. "I thought we were getting along pretty well love, and then you stood me up."

"That's not quite what happened." Emma stood up and walked to Killian then sat down next to him. "That night Milah did something to you. She slipped you a potion in one of your drinks that night. Then she attacked me, threatened and taunted me. She insulted us being friends, and the kicker, she stabbed me, and she left me for dead under the docks!"

Killian stood up suddenly with anger in his sea blue eyes. "What! That damn harpy! As soon as I wake up I'm throwing her overboard! You're the closest friend that I had in many years. We clicked, instantly, even though you denied it, I felt it. I loved the way that you talked back, you listened, and the thing I respect the most about you is that you didn't let me jump down your pants the first few times I attempted to seduce you." Killian smirked that sexy smile of his at that last comment, but then notices the sad smile on Emma's face and his previous anger that he felt melted away. He then pulled Emma in his arms for a hug and whispered to her. "I'm sorry you've gone through that love."

Emma sniffed then looked up at her friend, her eyes shiny with unshed tears. "It's okay. It's not your fault. I really did want to go with you. After all, your charm was starting to rub off on me." She smirked at him then punched him lightly in the arm. "But I don't like that you acted like a bastard though."

"I knew you'd convert to my charms." He replied with a smirk and wink. "I will try and be a better man, but that's going to take time. I have to be ruthless, I can't have my ship being taken over. I don't have to be so cruel to people, but it's going to be a hard habit to break."

"Killian. There's more you need to know." The smile that was on her face moments ago disappeared and a sad frown replaced it. "You won't remember any of this when you wake up, neither will I." The pirate in front of her was silent so she continued to speak. "This is the only time we'll remember what happened to us while awake. After this we will only remember what's happening here in the Dreamworld. When you wake up, and with myself as well, we will continue our lives as if we didn't know what happened here."

Shock. That's all that was shown on the handsome man's face. Emma could tell he wasn't reacting well to the news. Yes it was bad, but at least bad news was better than no news, right? The shock left Killian's face and he reached out to his friend and held her to him. "If I am to live a Hell awake, then I am glad to sleep, and dream of Heaven with a beautiful angel by my side." She would've scoffed at the remark but she held it back. That was the sweetest thing he's said to her. No innuendos, no smart ass comments, just sweet words.

She smiled a true smile and it showed through her eyes. For hours they just sat next to each other leaning on one another on his bed talking to each other. They talked about their dreams, their tastes in food and just learning more about each other. She told him of her crazy father figure and how she wished it wasn't so hard to see him.

There were no lustful movements between each other. Just two friends who were lost, getting to know each other. There were still smart-ass remarks thrown at each other from time to time, and Killian did make some comments that made her blush, but that was all in good fun.

Emma felt lightweight, and she knew that was a sign that she was waking up, and with a reluctant sigh she stood up and let her pirate know she'd be leaving soon. Killian walked her to the deck and the two friends hugged each other, before Emma went completely transparent she drew Killian to her and kissed him on the cheek. Jones touched the spot where her lips touched him and he smiled.

* * *

Four years have passed since that life changing conversation with Merlin. Emma didn't talk to him for weeks. She felt betrayed that he had kept all that for so long without telling her of his involvement with Milah and herself. She knew she went into the Dreamworld to talk to her friend, but for the life of her she couldn't remember what transpired there. Merlin had felt terrible at keeping all that he knew about his part in Emma not going on the path she had wanted to go on. She grew on him, and it hurt when she didn't give him the time of day. When he offered to train her in healing magic though, she had come around pretty quickly.

That's what broke the ice between them, and he talked about many more of his travels. He talked about his time with King Arthur and about his magic. The only thing he didn't discuss with her was, well, her. She was as curious as a cat at wanting to know what her future held, if he knew her past, her parents. He never answered her, or gave her false answers. It didn't stop her thoughts from wandering and attempting to try and get to know about it all herself.

Even though Merlin was a psycho bastard at times, there were occasions that he was a decent human being. He would often let Emma send a missive to her friend Rumple, with a simple letter that always said something along the lines of, _"I'm alive. I'm sorry my travels are keeping me away. You and Bae, please keep well." _Short sweet and to the point. She was never brave enough to tell her friend that she had become a squirrel familiar for the most powerful magic user in all the realms. Like he would believe her... It seems so far fetched.

Emma loved learning about magic, she found it very interesting. The only thing Merlin ever helped her understand about herself was if it involved magic. He would say that she was important for the future. That she was pure magic, like him, born with it. Magic though is neither light nor dark, as he taught her. "It's all in how you use it." That was ingrained into her mind.

She was able to do magic in her squirrel form. She learned to control it. He would say that knowing the good and bad, and wielding it all correctly can have some amazing benefits. All the magic she was able to do was now second nature to her.

Many times she tried to change herself back into a human; she missed being herself, her human self. She was never able to change back. She asked Merlin time, and time again, _**"Please change me back into a human woman again, I'll do anything!"**_ but he would just stay quiet.

One day Emma came to Merlin, rewording her request, **_"I__s there ever a way for me to be human again? Will I be able to magic myself back?"_**

The old man in front of her was quiet, as usual after a question like that, but then he finally spoke to her, and started to give her, her long awaited answer. "The man I was with when you got cursed, he is known as, '_The Dark One.'" _He stopped, got a drink of water and came back to finish his thought. "His curse was the one that hit you and changed you into a squirrel. I'm pained to say it to you like this, but I know you will never cease these questions until you get the answer; but, Zoso is the only one who can turn you back into a human." He explained with care in his voice. "Yes, I am called the '_Father of Magic', _but it doesn't mean I can undo the magic done by Dark Ones."

She stared at Merlin with intensity in her eyes, she was letting all what he said sink into her. "Dark Ones are the closest to me power wise, they are almost an equal." He continued to explain during this rare lesson he gave today. "No one who is alive now knows this, other than you now, but I was a twin." At that her jaw opened in shock, her tiny white teeth showing. Merlin ignored her reaction and kept talking. "When I came into contact with my Magic for the first time, I was fourteen. My magic ended up lashing out and it actually gave my twin the choice to have magic as well.

My twin wanted the powerful magic offered and so, agreed to have the magic infused with them." At that Merlin paused for a moment, collected his thoughts and continued speaking. "But because they were not born with magic, like I had, it changed my twin into the first Dark One." With that sentence hitting Emma in the heart, she scampered up to Merlin and nuzzled his chin with her cheek in comfort.

With a shaky breath, she hadn't heard from him before, he finished his lesson for the day, "It came with a price though. The weapon he previously forged for himself, our father was a weapon smith, if it fell into another's hands, they could control my twin. In order to be free from the magic and curse, another being had to kill my twin with his own weapon; and that's how it got passed down, curse to curse."

* * *

After that lesson from her mentor she stopped asking about becoming human again. She accepted her new form and embraced it, although she was far from happy. She was always the saddest waking up, like something was there and was missing from her life. A few hours after waking that the feeling would pass, until she awoke the next morning with that same sad feeling all over again.

What Emma didn't know was that while she was sleeping, she was learning the ways of pirating, not the thieving part of it though. She was taught how to sail the ship, and other important jobs. Killian had also taught her how to sword fight and they'd go on mini adventures with each other, content in each other's company. Each time they met in their dream, the attraction between them blossomed and grew.

After a nasty battle between them and an Ogre, Killian had pushed Emma against the nearest tree and they shared their first kiss. Their love just continued to grow.

Tonight Emma met her love on the deck of the Jolly Roger, just like the first night she came across him. This night, however they shared their first night under the stars as lovers. They were finally joined together physically, in the Dreamland anyway, and their spirits rejoiced in their union. It would be bittersweet though, because like the other nights before them they had to wake up. As Emma started to disappear again, this time, instead of kissing her knuckles as he did every night since their first proper kiss, Killian kissed her lips deeply, his hands cupping her face and he then whispered, "See you tomorrow Love."

* * *

Emma groggily crawled out of her tiny home that was in the study. She stretched and her tail behind her twitched and fluffed itself. She searched high and low and didn't see Merlin anywhere that she went. She decided to try and leave the house and right before she left out the door the man she was trying to find strolled on into the home.

"Ah, Emma, it's good to see you awake. Did you sleep well?"

**_'Of course I slept well. As well as a squirrel can anyway. Thanks for asking. I'm hungry though.'_** As soon as she thought that her tiny furry belly let out a growl that could rival a Giant's roar. If she could, she would have blushed at the noise that came from within her.

"I've got some exciting news for you. So before I let you know lets go outside shall we?" He didn't give her a chance to reply he just turned abruptly on his heel and walked out the door.

Merlin was standing there in front of her when she arrived outside and then he tossed her a handful of mixed nuts, "Eat up my dear." Emma didn't need to be told twice, she tore through them with a vengeance. She sighed after her tiny belly was full and climbed up to a branch that was near Merlin's face and waited for him to speak. She wouldn't push it, he would talk when he wanted to on his own terms.

"I think it's time for you to start out on your own adventure, forge your own path. I've taught you all you need to know, magic wise. Remember to wield it wisely." Finally after a few moments pass he breaks the quiet of the forest and continues. Emma was too shocked to say anything.

"This adventure you will go on, do not worry. If things look dark, just know that deep down I know that you'll find your way back to the path that's meant for you." With that he picked up his squirrel daughter and hugged her.

**_"Thank you. Even though I usually find you crazy and I think that you're possibly insane."_** She kissed the man on the cheek, the best she could as a squirrel and continued to speak her mind. _**"Thank you for helping me out, and telling me about what you were involved with. You could've just left me there by the campfire those many years ago."**_ She looked at him and smiled. With her mind made up, she was tired of this particular adventure, and she wanted to go home. She wanted to go see her friend Rumple and Bae. So she started to climb further up the tree then jumped from tree to tree until she lost sight of the crazed old man, which she loved like a dad.

* * *

Emma after traveling for three days as a squirrel, and finally she found her way back to the village she first started to call home. When she arrived, dusk was already starting to fall and she noticed her friend Stiltz limping away from their home. She was curious so she decided to follow him. She followed her friend who ended up approaching a castle near their village a few miles from their home. She watched in morbid fascination him start a fire and left the burning building. _'What is he doing?_' She thought to herself.

She chased her friend to a cluster of trees and observed Rumple meeting up with a cloaked figure. A few moments pass and the two of them are in a deep conversation when suddenly she watched in horror as the unknown man pulled down his hood. In front of Rumple stood Zoso, that nasty Dark One that Merlin had told her about!

She quickly dashed to her friend as fast as her little legs could, _'I need to warn him!'_ Before she reached close enough to try and do anything distracting, she watched with pain filled eyes Zoso taunt her friend to Rumple's breaking point. The young squirrel witnessed her friend lose himself in his anger and he had stabbed Zoso. She stopped running, cold in her tracks, her eyes wide in fear as she saw her friend, her first family in this world start physically changing. '_I should've paralyzed Rumple with magic! I panicked; I could have done something. I should've done something!'_ She cried with anguish, angry at herself.

She looked at the dying previous Dark One, and with Zoso's last breath he looked straight at Emma in the eyes and his nasty grin was the last thing she saw before a flash of light hit her...

* * *

Emma groaned. Her head was killing her. She heard the rumbling tail end of a thunderstorm leaving and she picked up her heavy head that was propped on something, and peaked out from between her fingers, _'Wait, fingers?'_ She blinked back the blurry sleepy eyesight.

"What!?" She shouted and she blinked again and her vision was fully returned. A massive sob escaped her mouth when she was noticed that she was staring out the front window of her yellow VW bug… and seeing waves of the ocean crashing a couple hundred yards in front of her.

**AN: Don't kill me please! There are still some things planned, so stay tuned! :)**


	4. Happy Birthday

**AN: Now we're going to be getting into the Canon part of OUAT. I don't want to go completely canon, there will be some of the same things happening, but there will also be changes. This is an AU story after all. :)**

* * *

When Emma woke up from her unexpected nap on the beach, she had an epiphany... She decided that she needed to do something productive with her life and change it, after all, people don't really live in a mystical world full of magic and mythical creatures like her dream had suggested.

While she left the beach she decided to drive with no set destination in mind. It gave the young woman time to think and process the realistic dream that she had woken up from. _'It felt so real. I haven't had a dream that intense since I was five.'_ Her hands had shook at that thought.

Emma and her (new) ten year old brother snuck onto the stairs to watch "Nightmare on Elm Street" while the adults had movie night. She woke up screaming from a nightmare and her "mom" didn't like getting woken up that way and so she gave Emma a reason to scream. After that, she trained herself to not dream anything, it wasn't worth it. Dreaming got you in trouble.

_'Maybe I should learn from it. I need to make my own dreams and fight my own battles. It symbolized the monsters and demons from my past. I am my own warrior, I am a survivor!'_ With those thoughts she made a decision and started to drive with a purpose. So, with her mind made up she used the rest of the money that she had and relocated to a small town near Chicago.

She did some searching and ended up finding a group who trained new bounty hunters. It was a fun group, mostly men, but she quickly got the respect of her fellow hunters after kicking a few of their asses and sending them home sniveling to their wives or mothers, whoever they lived with.

One year of training and nine years of doing the job she enjoyed kept her life busy. She was successful on her self-appointed career path. There were times that she thought she wouldn't get out alive, and she had plenty of injuries thanks to her profession, but it never got to her. She knew that in a way, this was her way of bringing hope to people. One of the perks she enjoyed the most, was that her job required her to travel a lot. She loved to move, and oddly the one stable thing in her life was also constant, she didn't stay in one place long.

This last year she found herself living and working in Boston. Today was going to be a busy day, first she had to chase down a wanted man who was involved in a major assault, but then later tonight she had a date... she needed to deal with a scumbag who embezzled funds.

"Happy Birthday." She muttered to herself while going over the folder of the bounty she would be going after in a few hours. After going over a few of the facts and made a few calls, she grabbed her black leather coat, put her stun gun on one side of her hip, a pistol on the other, and then attached her knife to a hidden spot behind her back, then left to go catch one of today's paychecks.

"Come on out Vick. I know you're there!" Emma had chased down her suspect after he spotted her and ran. He was found near one of the bars he frequently visited and she chased him into an alley that was nearby. Her stun gun held out in front of her she turned the corner quickly and found him, blocked by a fence. "I don't want to hurt you, but I will if need be."

He had a pistol trained on her as soon as he turned around, fence to his back. "Get the fuck back you psycho bitch!"

"Let's talk about this, if you decide to shoot, and you end up killing me, you'll only get into a worse situation then you're in now. Right now you're just facing assault, you don't want to add murder to the list." Her voice was calm, despite the tense fear she felt in her blood.

"I don't want to talk! Go away!" He took off the safety switch. Things were escalating quickly. She should've just waited and then followed him home and arrest him there, but time was of the essence, she didn't want to be late and this job was taking longer then she accounted for.

"No, I won't. Come on..." She took a cautious step forward and the man's eyes narrowed, his pistol raised higher in silent warning. She paused and continued to talk. "... If you're worried about your kid, he can still visit you in jail. If you give yourself up." She dared to take another step closer. "You kill me, your chances of ever getting out and seeing your son are gone." Vick's eyes briefly looked at the ground and that was the chance she was waiting for, she squeezed the trigger of the stun gun and it hit Vick in the chest, he dropped to the ground, twitching, then got out her phone to call her police contact.

Emma was rushing around her small apartment getting ready for her date. She took off her gear, her jacket, jeans, shirt and boots. Looking in her closet quickly she grabbed the first dress she saw, hell it was the only dress she had. She spied the time on her alarm clock that sat on her dresser and cursed. "Dammit, really? Five minutes, already!?" She needed to leave quickly if she was going to make it in time. Quickly she got into her red dress, grabbed her purse and left, jumping into her yellow bug.

* * *

Two hours later Emma made it home. The date went by quick, in about five minutes she already had him running to his car with the boot on the back wheel. After he insulted her about what she knew about family, she slammed his head into the steering wheel. He deserved it, his comment broke the dam to her patience and the stress from the day, and her life in general had caught up to her. She tiredly put the small package on the table and removed the cupcake from inside it. She lit the candle, made her wish and blew it out. _'Alone again.'_ She was quickly interrupted by her brooding thoughts with a knock on the door, a boy she didn't recognize stood in front of her.

"Are you Emma Swan?"

'Why would a young kid be asking for me?' She thought to herself, and answered the child's question, "Yeah. Who are you?"

"My name's Henry. I'm your son."

Shock then denial were the first feelings that coursed through her, denial being the strongest. "Whoa, hey, kid! Kid! I don't have a son! Where are your parents?"

He slipped under her arm that was against the door frame with ease and into her apartment. "Ten years ago, did you give up a baby for adoption? That was me."

"Give me a minute." Emma leaves the kid behind and goes to her bathroom to breathe, the stress and shock hit her and she slid down the door just staring into space. "One." She took a breath in, "Two" and she exhaled. Her heart calming down she left the bathroom and started to talk to the kid that had invaded her home.

Talking to the young boy ended up with her agreeing to take him back home. The kid had spunk, she'd give him that. After packing a few needed supplies for the quick unexpected trip an hour later the two of them got into her car and started to drive to Storybrooke.

Emma thought that the silence in the car was nice. She was a bit nervous though, _'Why is speaking to criminal strangers less stressful than a ten year old kid?'_ She peeked through her peripherals and studied her small passenger next to her. As if he noticed her sneaking glances at him, he broke the silence, "I'm hungry. Can we stop somewhere?"

"This is not a road trip; we're not stopping for snacks."

"Why not?"

"Quit complaining, kid. Remember, I could've put your butt on a bus; I still could."

"You know, I have a name? It's Henry."

With that last statement from the kid... Henry, she went quiet for a moment. She spied the book on his lap and decided to try and get to know him better. _'I do like a good book once in awhile. Maybe we have something in common.'_ She finally voiced a question between them since they left the house. "What's that?"

"I'm not sure you're ready."

Looking at the title of the book she responded, "Ready for some fairy tales?"

It was if she offended him by asking. His answer to her question made her raise her eyebrows, "They're not fairy tales. They're true. Every story in this book actually happened."

_'Oh man. Poor kid. What kind of life does he live in if he thinks those are true?'_ She sighed, "Of course they did."

"You said earlier at your house that you had a superpower of sorts, knowing when someone is lying. See if I'm lying. Having a superpower like that should have you believing me."

She looks at him for a moment then speaks up, "Just because you believe something doesn't make it true. Trust me on that."

"That's exactly what makes it true. You should know more than anyone."

Her curiosity was piqued, "Why's that?" She takes her eyes off the road for a second to look at Henry. _'There's nothing wrong with humoring him.'_

"Because you're in this book."

"Oh, kid. You've got problems." She turned the blinker on her car and switched lanes. _'I used to have a problem like that. For two weeks after that dream years ago I had wished that it was real. I guess having to grow up fast made my mind revert to a kid's.'_ A wistful look passed her face and Henry's response made her wish that she could help him.

"Yup. And you're going to fix them." Pride went through his voice, and then he was quiet for the rest of the ride towards Storybrooke.

* * *

It was raining by the time the two travelers arrived. Needing to know the address to his home Emma gently shook the sleeping Henry next to her, awake. "What's your address?"

"201 I'm not telling you." That remark had her stop her car on the side of the street and park it. Annoyed she got out of the car to take in the cool air and to try and cool her temper. "Look, Henry, it's been a long night, and it's almost..." Looking up she spies the clock tower and looks at it in confusion, "eight-fifteen?"

Getting out of the car to join her Henry speaks up, "That clock hasn't moved my whole life. Time's frozen here."

"What? Excuse me?"

"It's all because the Evil Queen did it with her curse. She sent everyone from the Enchanted Forest here." He almost sounded pleading.

Another sigh escaped the young woman, she seemed to be doing that a lot today, "Hang on. The Evil Queen sent a bunch of fairytale characters here."

"Yeah. And now they're trapped."

"Frozen in time, stuck in Storybrooke, Maine. That's what you're going with?" She cocked an eyebrow at the child that came out of nowhere and claimed to be hers.

"It's true!"

"Then why doesn't everybody just leave?"

"It's because they can't. If they try, bad things happen."

Emma, about to reply gets interrupted by a tall man with curly hair, walking a Dalmatian. "Henry! What are you doing here? Is everything alright?"

"I'm fine, Archie." He goes over to the dog and pets him, the dog's tail wagging happily.

"Who's this?" The man introduced as Archie looks in Emma's direction with a curiosity glance.

Emma, wanting to speak up for herself answers the gentleman's question, "I'm just someone trying to give him a ride home..."

Before she gets a chance to ask Archie a question Henry speaks up saying, "She's my mom, Archie." If there were crickets that would be the only sound that would've been heard, but since there wasn't any, any kind of sound playing it was eerily quiet at that remark.

"Oh.. I see." Archie's soft voice broke the tense silence that appeared before the two adults, Henry oblivious of it.

Emma getting a bit tired of this, and just being tired in general spoke up, she really needed to get Henry home so she can leave and get some sleep herself. "Do you know where he lives?"

"Oh. Yeah, sure, just uh, right up on Mifflin Street; the Mayor's house is the biggest one on the block."

She was surprised, she couldn't have even guessed that he was adopted by a mayor of all people. "You're the mayor's kid?"

He at least looked a bit sheepish answering her, "Uh. Maybe?"

Emma about to get back in her car to finally get Henry home is interrupted by Archie who started to talk to Henry again, "Where were you today, because you missed our session."

_'Therapy? Why is he in therapy?'_ Quietly she listened in, not really trying to eavesdrop but it's a habit that's hard to break thanks to her job. She's always people watching and eavesdropping, not intentionally, but if she catches herself she doesn't stop it.

"Oh, I forgot to tell you. I went on a field trip."

Archie then crouches and gets face-to-face with Henry. He looks at the child in front of him and begins to speak gently to him, "Henry, what'd I tell you about lying? Giving in to one's dark side never accomplishes anything."

At that Emma wanted to step in. She didn't feel comfortable with seeing Henry talking to his therapist about issues outside of an office. She herself talked to a therapist a few times when her job got a bit tough and she wished that she could enter a never ending dream that was as wonderful as the one she had on the beach. Of course he thought all that was a delusion and thought all she needed was to not live in fantasy but to overcome that fantasy so she could live in a productive life. Reality. "Well, I really should be getting him home. Thank you Archie for the directions." She holds out her arm and the two shake hands.

"Yeah. Sure. Well, listen... have a good night, and uh, you be good, Henry." The man then starts to walk away, his dog at the heel.

As if sensing what Emma was about to ask Henry just comes out and says, "I'm not crazy."

"I didn't say that. Well, he doesn't seem cursed to me. Maybe he's just trying to help you."

"He's the one who needs help. Because he doesn't know."

"That he's a fairy tale character."

"None of them do. They don't remember who they are."

Eyebrow raising into her hairline Emma looks at Henry, then wanting to help the kid out, _'He's a kid, he doesn't have to grow up like I did. Guess I'll try and amuse him at least.'_ Speaking up she says, "Convenient. All right. I'll play. Let's go." She gets into the car and asks the first question that popped in her mind, "Who's he supposed to be?"

"Jiminy Cricket!" He looked pleased at that answer.

"Right. The lying thing. Thought your nose grew a little bit." She laughed in her mind at that. It would definitely help her job out if all the liars out there had their noses grow.

"I'm not Pinocchio!"

"Course you're not. Cause that would be ridiculous." Turning on her car, she puts the car in drive and they drive off to Henry's home.

Emma sighed, she just dropped Henry off at his home and it's quiet. Almost too quiet in her car. She missed the little rascal already. Henry's mother Regina, was talking with the town's sheriff when they arrived at his home earlier. Regina was a bit tense, but then she could understand her worries, not knowing if Emma was here to take Henry. She would never do that of course.

Looking around her car something quickly caught her eye, it was the book. Henry left it in her car. "Sneaky." she mumbles to herself, actually a bit impressed because it reminded her of herself when she was a kid; although she liked manipulating the situations around her to help her survive. That was different than what he was doing, but still, she couldn't help but feel a little bit proud in that moment, until she looked up and a wolf was standing in the street. The rain made the street even more treacherous and she skidded to a rough stop into the Storybrooke sign and her world went black.

* * *

This was the second time in Emma's life that she woke up in a jail cell, she did not like it the first time, and she didn't like it this time either. The man in the next cell to her was let out, and then the sheriff from earlier was there in front of her. She thought the man was attractive, but then looks hardly told her a man had good intentions or not.

Sheriff Graham Humbert, decided to talk to the other occupant since he noticed she was awake, "Regina's drinks; a little stronger than we thought."

"I wasn't drunk; there was a wolf, standing in the middle of the road."

The man just gave her the same look that she had given Henry earlier, disbelief. "A wolf. Right." His amusement drifted over towards Emma and even she thought it sounded ridiculous, even though it really happened.

She was about to make a retort when Regina's voice was heard coming closer towards the room, "Graham? Henry's run away again, we have to..." It was at that point the woman walked into the room and noticed that the Sheriff wasn't alone, "what is she doing here?" Eyes narrowing she directed her next question to the woman in the cell, "Do you know where he is?"

Emma could taste the hostility in the air, and instead of just being polite in answering her question, she decided to go the sarcastic response, "Lady, I haven't seen him since I dropped him at your house, and being here all night is a pretty good alibi." When she was done two different faces looked at her, one in amusement, the other with loathing. Deciding to help the woman out, she was her son's mother she broke the standoff with a question, "Did you try his friends? Did you check his computer? If he was close to someone he'd be emailing them."

"He doesn't have any friends, and how do you know about all this?"

"Finding people's what I do. Here's an idea; how about you guys let me out, and I'll help you find him." She might as well put her skills to use, she was worried about Henry. Emma hasn't known the kid long but she can't just brush him aside, she's not cruel. Sure kids make her a bit nervous, but she knows that running away can cause all sorts of trouble and she wouldn't want to wish that kind of life on anyone, child or not.

A few hours later Emma walks up towards Henry who was sitting down on a playground that looked like a castle. Going through his computer and talking to his teacher, she was able to track him down pretty quickly. She sat down next to him, then handed him the book he left in her car. "You left this in my car." She looked to where he was looking at and watched the clock tower with him. "Still hasn't moved huh?"

"I was hoping that when I brought you back, things would change here. That the final battle will begin."

"I'm not fighting any battles, kid."

"Yes, you are. You're here because it's your destiny. You're going to bring back the happy endings."

_'Destiny... Right. Where have I heard that before? Ah yeah, Merlin from my Dream. This is getting exhausting. This is the real world, not fantasy._' "Henry, can you cut it with the book crap?"

"You don't have to be hostile. I know you like me, I can tell. You're just... pushing me away because I make you feel guilty. It's okay; I know why you gave me away. You wanted to give me my best chance."

At that Emma looked shocked, and a bit in pain. "How do you know that?"

"The same reason Snow White gave you away."

_'Oh wow, kid.'_ She thought to herself, then spoke gently to him, "Listen to me, kid. I am not in any book. I'm a real person. And I'm no savior. You were right about one thing, though. I wanted you to have your best chance. But it's not with me. C'mon, let's go." She stood up intending to take him home, again.

With panic and a bit of fear in his voice the boy pleaded with her, "Please don't take me back there! Just stay with me for one week, that's all I ask! One week, and you'll see I'm not crazy."

"I have to get you back to your mom."

"You don't know what it's like with her. My life sucks!"

Emma had enough of the kid pulling on her heart strings and with an anguish tone she replied, "Oh, you wanna know what sucking is? Being left abandoned on the side of a freeway; my parents didn't even bother to drop me off at a hospital!" She took a deep breath to control her emotions, got a hold of them and continued, "I ended up in a foster system and I had a family until I was three but then they had their own kid so they sent me back..." Again she took a few breaths to collect herself. "Look. Your mom is trying her best. I know it's hard. And I know sometimes you think she doesn't love you. But at least she wants you."

Henry looked a bit sad at learning that bit about how his other mother grew up. He was not about to give up though. He had faith in her, he just needed his mom to see it in herself as well. "Your parents didn't leave you on the side of the freeway; that's just where you came through!"

"What?"

"The wardrobe. When you went through the wardrobe you appeared on the side of the street. Your parents were trying to save you from the curse."

"Sure they were. C'mon, Henry." She extended her hand and helped Henry stand up, and kept her hand in his as she started to walk him home.

* * *

Emma was pissed. She just dropped off Henry at his house and Regina was so rude! Just to piss her off Emma decided that heck, she could handle a vacation. Just to piss the woman off she would stay in town a few days. Yes, she'd try and get to know her son, and who knows, after he becomes a legal adult he can come visit her. She'd like that. Until then though just because Regina was such an ass, she'll be there like an itch she can't scratch.

She ended up finding a Bed and Breakfast and walked in to see an older woman and a younger one arguing with each other. Not wanting to over hear too much of what would be sounding like a private conversation, despite the yelling, she cleared her throat and spoke, " Excuse me? I'd, like a room?"

The older woman looked back at her in shock, as if she didn't just hear her right, "Really?" Emma nods politely and the woman looks around and then finds the guest book, "Would you like a forest view or a square view? Normally there's an upgrade fee for the square, but as the rent is due, I'll wave it."

"Square is fine."

"Now. What's the name?"

"It's Emma, Emma Swan."

"Emma.. What a lovely name." A smooth, male voice was heard behind Emma's back.

She jumped, not hearing the man enter startled her. She turned around to look at the man that had spoke to her and replied, "Thanks." She looked closer at the man. He looked so familiar, and it was going to piss her off because it would only bug her until she figured out the reason of her feeling. Her eyes narrowed, "Do...Do I know you?" She looked at the older gentleman in front of her. Medium length hair, dark eyes and was using a cane to support himself. For an older man, she thought he looked attractive, not a handsome kind of attractive, more like a comfortable, 'put you at ease', attractive. _'I've seen him before... but where?'_ She thought to herself, furious._ 'I never forget a face.'_ She knew that this would become an obsession until she figured out the mystery of how she knew him.

"No. I do not believe we have met here before." The man looked Emma up and down as if memorizing everything about her. She thought she would feel a bit intimidated by it, well ok, she was a little intimidated but oddly enough something about the man screamed at her 'Contradicting.' How can a person feel intimidated and at ease at the same time? It was baffling.

While the two were obviously sizing each other up the woman and strange man conducted his business. The unknown man turned to walk away, but before he left he turned around and said, "Enjoy your stay, _Emma_."

Her curiosity was working in overdrive, "Who's that?" She asked. She needed to know who he was. She felt something about him... what, she didn't know, but she will find out.

The younger woman, with red streaks in her hair answered her, "That is Mr. Gold. He owns this place."

"Has he ever traveled anywhere? He owns what, the inn?"

"No. The town. I don't think so, he's been here as long as I can remember." Before she could completely absorb that information Granny interrupted her rushing thoughts, "So! How long will you be with us?"

"Oh. Just a week." She turned once more to look behind her to where Mr. Gold left, she wanted to follow him, but when a key was handed to her, all the exhaustion of the day hit, and Emma knew she needed to get some sleep. _'I will look you up tomorrow, Mr. Gold.'_ Then she walked to her room and collapsed into her warm, inviting bed, and dreamed of nothing, just like the last ten years of her life.

* * *

**AN: Things after this chapter will start heading into a different direction canon wise. There will be some things that will be the same, but things involving cannon will be rushed about and changed. She still needs to break the curse, but a lot of the events leading to that will be altered. Stay tuned! Hope you enjoyed this chapter! R&R please and thank you!**

**~Arizona-Sky**


	5. Rumple

_**AN: **_**I am doing my best at improving my writing skills, and I do want to thank you for all of your patience as I attempt to write this idea I'm so in love with. I have not written anything in quite a long time, other than the occasional piece of poetry. Story writing I'm not in the practice of writing, and this is giving me a chance to self-improve.**

**I'm getting a bit off track here, but I hope you enjoy this chapter. I had a good time writing it down. It does has a Dream Sequence involved, and I'll give you a one word clue, "Milah." Enjoy! :)**

* * *

Mr. Gold prided himself as a man that wasn't easily surprised… He was never surprised. He always knew what was going on, he had eyes and ears everywhere. He was a suspicious man who didn't trust anyone and thought everyone was out to get him, so he turned to learning the law so that he could exploit their loopholes for his own benefit. Knowledge is power, and he loved power.

He was not expecting anything different on this day, everything went by like clock work. Rent day. It was his busiest day of the month, not only did he get all the money owed, but he collected his Intel. Not the need to know, 'tell me when something big happens', type, but the little things that could wait. His monthly treat to himself after a long day on his feet from collecting everything on the town folk, was to just go home and get comfortable in his bed and would fall asleep after watching a movie with popcorn and a grape slurpee.

This morning; however, he felt as if the rain from yesterday brought with it an omen of some sort, good or bad he didn't know. He just couldn't shake the feeling that something was coming.

While walking into the Bed and Breakfast that night, he heard Widow Lucas giving out a room to a traveler. They haven't had anyone new in town, well, since he's been here, other than the mayor's kid, Henry, he had helped her acquire of course. Curiosity had taken root and with his mind made up, decided to listen in, and then he heard her name, "_Emma". _With that one word hitting his ear, he knew his Savior was finally here. He remembered… everything. He had always remembered, and a smile graced his face. Has it been twenty-eight years already? Time sure flew on by. "Emma. What a lovely name."

Shock. The hand holding his cane tightened the slightest, that was the only outward sign that he gave. It was the one word that described this unknown feeling that had surfaced when the young woman in front of him, turned around. _'No. It can't be. She's dead! This has to be someone else!_' He hid his racing heart and breath well, after all he is Rumpelstiltskin. He couldn't let this one time surprise startle him this badly.

"Do… Do I know you?" The woman in front of him studied him intently, her voice questioning. Her eyes scanning his entire frame. Second surprise. She knows him? He swallowed his breath as quietly and relaxed as quickly as he could. Two seconds and he relaxed completely, that was really good, considering his body wasn't used to being shocked.

He had to think of something, anything. Emma obviously remembers _something _about him… Then it suddenly hit him like an Ogre smacking him with a club, wait! His savior is his friend Swan!? She's alive, now!?

"No. I do not believe we have met here before." Cryptic, and vague… maybe she'll get the hint? We have never met here, in this world before. It was the truth; although, we do know each other. The question wasn't completely answered but it's not like he can come right out and say, 'Yes, I believe we met centuries ago; many years before I became the Dark One.'

The clock behind Lucas' head chimed lightly, now he knew that he was already minutes behind schedule. He has things to do, plans to revise and edit… especially if his Savior is … was his only friend. That would change a lot of manipulation tricks he was planning. Her friend Stiltz is gone… he felt a tinge of regret at that, and also about his next thought, _'I'm the Dark One. I do not have friends, I can not have a weakness, not like my old self. I'm here for Bae, and only Bae.'_

His body went on autopilot dealing with receiving the rent and interacting with Lucas and her granddaughter Ruby. _'I'm sorry old friend, but I will have to manipulate you a little bit. Not as much as what I was planning before; however, my focus is only on Bae.'_

The doorway was so close yet so far away. He couldn't leave without saying something else, turning around he looked at Swan the last time for that night, quietly and gently he uttered, "Enjoy your stay, Emma." One last look at her and he turned around and walked out the door.

He paused outside the door and listened quietly to the conversation behind him. Rumple then heard his Swan, his Savior, asking about him._ 'Oh Rumple you old fool_.' He let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding for so long, shame hitting him in his withered heart.

Composing himself he walked slowly to where his parked car was, and thought about how he's going to complete his plan. He knew he was going to have to use his only friend to get what he came here for. _'She would understand.'_ He looked back at the building one more time, got into his car, _'I hope'_, then drove home and went straight to bed. He didn't deserve to indulge in his splurged bliss.

* * *

'_He better not be wasting my time summoning me here.' He growled to himself. This place reeks of past memories he didn't want to resurface. The tavern was dark, hazy and he sat in a corner watching the pathetic mortals ruin their lives by being here._

_The conversation with a dimwitted man with a red fuzzy hat was muffled, and hazy. The conversation between the two wasn't heard, but he didn't need to hear it. This was a way for his solution to his problem, could be fixed. He needed that Magic Bean the man said he could acquire for him. With both parties pleased with the result, the stranger that had appeared at the table, left._

_One of the barmaids that worked there approached the now alone, darkened figure, "You sure you don't want anything?"_

_Before he got a chance to respond the door to the tavern opened up and a group of leather clothed men came in, pirates. Leading the group was a tall familiar man, blue eyes, scuffle on his face, leather pants, a long leather jacket and red shirt. The group looked happy to be here and the leader said with cheer in his voice, "Where's my scurvy crew?"_

_The men behind him joyously shouted back, "Ah, here we are, Captain!" While the group of them sat down an empty table in the middle of the room._

"_Where's my beer?" The pirate leader, the Captain shouted. A few seconds go by and a chorus of "Cheers" sounded as mugs clanked against each other and the group laughed and chatted together._

_Turning to the barmaid that had asked to serve him he answered with a wicked gleam in his eyes, "You know, I suddenly find myself quite thirsty." He quietly laughs a giggle to himself, planning what he'd be doing to that Captain later._

_The scene from the bar vaporizes into mist and everything starts to change. Colors and shapes are twisting around and then smoke swirls and dances until the detail of a village street is seen. The night air seems eerily chillier. The now drunken pirates from the tavern are talking and shouting through the streets._

_The creature smiles to itself and walks into their direction. You could taste in the air that the figure can barely contain its glee. 'That pirate will pay for what he did to my family.' With those thoughts he bumps into the leader of the group, with the purpose of getting his attention, and kept on walking._

"_Hey, you. Stop!" The red and black leather clad Captain shouted, "Even gutter rats have more manners than you just displayed."_

_Turning around the man stuttered a reply, "I...I'm so sorry, sir." His clothes looked like they were a mixture of lizard scales and leather. The features on his face were cracked and the color of his skin was dark, gray and gold. Yellow, reptilian eyes stared out of the hood of the cloak he was wearing at the men around him, as he looked at them all, one by one._

_The pirate captain jeered and taunted, "Ah… I was wrong. Not a rat at all. More… More like a crocodile." He laughs at the man and kicks him down, the crew around him laughing and cheering him on. Taunting the downed man even further he mock and with a grin he says, "What's your name, crocodile?"_

_Jumping up quickly from the ground the figure stood up to his full height. He wasn't as tall as the pirate captain but he doesn't need to be. He giggles with glee as he pulls down his hood and looks at the men that were taunting him before; his eyes finally landing on the captain that stole his wife._

_Something registers in the Pirate's eyes, and he knows that he now remembers who the man in front of him is. With cockiness he smiled and pointed at him saying, "You… I remember you."_

_Being the exaggerating man that he is, he flourishes a bow and stated, "Always nice to make an impression. Where are my manners?" He circles the group and continues to talk, "We haven't been properly introduced. Rumpelstiltskin. Or, as others know me…" Pausing for the theatrics he loves so much, he delivers the news to the merry band of pirates, "the Dark One." A dark, menacing look crossed onto his face._

_When the news hit the crew it was an automatic switch of emotions. The joy that was covering their faces was replaced by fear. Oh how he reveled in the taste that was coming off of them in waves. "Oh! I see my reputation precedes me."_

"_It does." The Captain's body tenses as the Dark One circle him._

"_Good! That's going to save us time during the, uh, question and answer portion of our game."_

"_What is it you want to know?"_

"_How's Milah, of course?" he questions curiously._

"_Who?"_

_The Dark One, not feeling like playing a game with this other man at the moment replies saying, "Only too happy to, uh, dig out the memory. But, it gets really messy." He growls with menace lacing into it._

"_She's dead." Pausing for a few seconds he then continues with sadness in his voice, "Died a long time ago. What is it you want?"_

"_We didn't get a chance to finish our duel."_

_The threatened pirate attempts to draw the sword at his side, but before he gets it out even half way the Dark One states with suppressed joy. "Not now. Tomorrow at dawn. I am not a cruel man. Get your affairs in order. Also, you can spend tonight knowing, it will be your last. Maybe I am cruel. And don't think about trying to escape." He leans into the pirate to make his threat, his promise very clear, "Because I will find you, and I will gut your entire crew like a fish."_

_Not even a second passed by when everything just disappeared and he now watches from above on a wall the captain arrive for their duel. Dropping a sword from where he's at he watches as it hits the ground with a clatter and the pirate spots him from the ground. "_Pick it up, dearie, and let's begin."

"_There's no need." He reaches for his sword and notices it's not there. Looking behind him he sees Rumpelstiltskin behind him with the sword he took from the Pirate's scabbard._

_Giggling a little bit he then taunts the unarmed man saying, "Sorry, but killing a man with his own sword was just too delicious to pass up."_

_The Captain leans down to pick up the sword that was dropped in front of him earlier and then attacks the other man. The two of them strike, parry and block the other's blows; however Rumple giggles and playfully dodges more of the pirate's blows. Rumple, getting enough of his game parries a blow that takes the Captain's sword flying out of his hand and then smacks him on the top of his head with the pommel of his sword, then brings it around and holds the tip to the pirate's neck._

_Defeated, the man on the ground stares up at the winner of the duel with fear, defiance and acceptance in his eyes. "Go on. I'm ready for the sword."_

_Thinking it over a second, Rumple replies with malice, "No… Do you know what it's like to have your wife stolen from you? To feel powerless to stop it? It feels like having your heart ripped from your chest." He pauses and looks down at the fallen pirate then smiles sinisterly, "Actually, let me show you."_

_He then shoves his hand into the Captain's chest and goes to his heart. As his hand wrapped around the heart and his fingers closed around it he suddenly gets mentally slammed by a flash of a vision. A quick one second look of a woman. Blond. Green eyes. His Swan, his friend. The old tavern woman he once glanced at through his peripherals when he went to go find Milah the night before she got taken. He's about to yank the heart out to get a better picture of what he's seeing in his head when a voice shouted at him and cut off his connection. "Stop!"_

_With the brief connection he had now severed he glanced in the direction of the woman's voice only to see Milah standing there. He removes his hand from the Captains chest. "Milah." He pauses his actions and then takes a small step towards her, stops then says, "How?"_

_The wounded, exhausted pirate on the ground groans and gasped out in a weakened voice, "Milah, you have to run."_

_Milah glances away from Rumple and looks at the downed man on the ground, "No. I'm not leaving without you."_

_Rumpelstiltskin, feeling a bit nauseated with all the toxic feelings between the two lovers comments sarcastically while slowly puncturing the Captain with his own sword, "Oh, how sweet. It appears there's more to this tale than I know. Tell it to me, Milah."_

"_Please, don't hurt him. I can explain." Milah explained in a desperate voice._

_Wagging a finger in Milah's direction and with an annoyed tone that showed he was quickly losing patience for this, said, "Tick tock, dearie. Tick tock."_

"_That first night, when Killian and his crew came into the tavern, he told stories about the places he'd been. And I fell in love with him. I didn't mean for it to turn out this way. I didn't know how to tell you the truth. I'm sorry."_

_He stared at his wife, his ex who left him for the deadbeat at his feet and he could tell something was amiss. She didn't know how to tell the truth? If she couldn't say the truth face to face back then, she could end up lying through her teeth right now. He didn't trust her, and sent a glare her way. "And so, here we are. You've come to save the life of your twoo wuv… the pirate. I didn't realize the power of true love before. It is impressive. I'd hate to break it up." Looking into her eyes he gleefully continues, "Actually, no. I'd love to."_

_Rumple then starts to push his sword deeper into the side of the soon to be dead pirate, when Milah's voice again interrupted the Pirate Kebab he was about to skewer. "Wait. I have something you want."_

_Glancing back up at Milah he scoffs, "Well, I find that very difficult to believe."_

_She pulls out a familiar looking red hat that he had seen just the other day, and dangles it in front of him._

_Rumpelstiltskin's eyes grow wide and he demanded with curiosity, "Where did you get that?"_

_Gulping her fear back she replies, "You know who I took it from. I may not know what the Dark One wants with a magic bean, but I have it." She pauses a moment then continues with her plea, "The magic bean in exchange for our lives. Deal?"_

_Eyes narrowing as he responds, "I want to see it first."_

* * *

_Rumpelstiltskin arrives on board the large wooden pirate ship, the Captain's Jolly Roger. The crew around him scurries around helping Milah and her pirate lover. "Well, well. Seems like you finally found a family… You could never have with me." He comments while looking at all of the scared sheep around him._

_He observers Milah taking the satchel from the stranger that they brought from below deck. She removes something out of the bag and holds it up so that he has the evidence he demanded earlier. Reaching out to take it out of the woman's grasp Milah doesn't give him the chance, and ends up throwing the bean over to her Captain._

_"Here's the bean you requested to see." He glares with visible hatred in his eyes. "You've now seen it." His left hand clenched tighter into a fist, then growls out, "Do we have a deal?"_

_Milah then questions Rumple, "Can we go our separate ways?"_

_A moment of silence passes, then it got shattered with the smooth voice of the Dark One, "Do you mean, do I forgive you? Can I move on? Perhaps." Pausing to circle around Milah's figure then continues, "I can see you are twooly in love."_

_Milah thinking that she has the right to turn around and walk away, says with confidence while starting to walk towards her lover, "Thank you."_

_Before she gets one step farther away from the magical being she was bartering with, he speaks with curiosity in his voice which interrupts her strut, "Just two questions."_

_Looking into the yellow eyes of her ex she says, "What do you want to know?"_

_With a hiss to his voice he demands, "The blond from the bar, before you left. Who is she?" He figured she would know which one he was talking about. If the Pirate he was dueling before had a heart memory imprint of his friend in her old uniform, knew her; then his wife would surely have had to deal with her with how often she was drinking over there._

_Miles curious gaze turned into a blaze of hatred in a blink of an eye. She said with seething anger dripping in her voice, "That bitch hussy from the bar? Well if you're so interested in her you're out of luck." She paused a moment and then with a twisted smile on her face and a wave of her hand finishes by saying, "She's long dead! Killed and left behind to get swallowed by the sea!"_

_Rumple's blood froze in his veins in an instant, 'She's dead? Is that why I stopped receiving letters and can't find her anywhere in this damned world?' 'With those thoughts crashing through him and the grief hitting, slamming into his heart he lets some of his magic out. Several ropes anchored along the ship begin magically coming undone, and violently get ripped out._

_Sensing the now escalated fear around him, he temporarily reels in his anger to ask the demon woman in front of him the second question, "How could you leave Bae?" He pauses then _snarled, "_Do you know what it's like, walking home that night…" Wind starts to blow around the crew violently and the whole ship seeing the danger it's in start to slowly panic more._

_Miles' voice laced with fear tries to soothe him down from his rage, "Rumpel…"_

_Ignoring the vile woman's voice continues his statement. "...knowing I had to tell our son. That his mother was dead?" He glared down at her, no longer holding back his anger, the people around him felt the anger and shivered in dread._

_Knowing she was now in serious trouble she speaks with a begging voice, "I was wrong to lie to you. I was the coward, I…"_

"_You left him! You abandoned him!" He roared with anger and stepped closer to the traitor of a wife and mother._

_Backing away from the angry Dark One in front of her she whimpers, "And there's not a day that goes by that I don't feel sorry for that. I let my misery cloud my judgment."_

"_Why were you so miserable?" His eyes narrowed. He gave her everything he could. She treated him worse than dirt. He was the one to practically raise their son, alone because she was hardly ever home._

_With a cocky tone and taunt, she let all fear go saying, "Because I never loved you."_

_With a roar of anger Rumple shoves his hand through Milah's chest. All the anger and pain she caused him, collided with his already held back temper of hearing of his friend's death coursed through his body and he let it take over._

_The Captain who was oddly silent through the whole exchange, came out of whatever haze he was in when Milah's gasp was heard and started towards the seething rage monster in front of him, intent on killing him. Before he even reached three steps forward he was flung back by a magical lash and was bound to the ship's mast._

_Giggling in rage and madness, Rumple yanks out the heart of the beast in front of him in glee. While observing the heart he saw that it was tainted in blackness. As he squeezed it a bit more, he was assaulted by a_ _glimpse_ _of a despicable deed. Mentally he witnesses his friend getting assaulted by his wife, the monster, in pain at his feet. Not knowing the __time line__ of this deed he assumes this was a time after he became the Dark One._

_This new vision he's watching get interrupted again, this time by the Pirate Captain yelling, "No!" and manages to break free from the ropes. He runs over to Milah's body, which when her heart was slowly being squeezed started to fall down, and catches the falling woman and gently lays her down onto the deck._

_Milah in pain attempts to speak and gets out the words, "I lo…" and doesn't get the chance to even finish speaking because she gasps in pain, while the heart in Rumple's hand gets crushed to dust, and Milah falls limp, dead._

_The Captain, while still grieving stands up and grabs a downed sword by his feet with his right hand. He then points it in Rumple's direction saying, "You may be more powerful now, demon, but you're no less a coward."_

_Ignoring the taunt from the pirate, Rumple demands, "'I'll have what I came for, now." He then starts to walk towards the fuming man who was standing by the fresh corpse._

"_You'll have to kill me first." With a lunge he attacks the Dark One swinging his sword towards the crocodile's neck, attempting to behead him._

_Dodging the sword's blow, Rumple disappears, then appears behind the man attempting to assault him and states, "I'm afraid that's not in the cards for you." Swinging the sword he still held from the duel from earlier, quickly slices off the Captain's left hand._

_He drops his weapon in pain, and cradles his wounded arm. Taunting the injured man Rumple states, " I want you alive. Because I want you to suffer like I did. You deserve this pain, maybe this will teach you not to go after another man's wife. I did you a favor lad, that woman was more evil than I, up until now."_

_Rumple then turns around to leave, when the injured pirate grabs a hook that had fallen on the deck and stabs Rumpelstiltskin in the chest with it. Nothing happens. The hook was embedded, but there was no harm done. "Killing me's going to take a lot more than that, dearie." He states with a small giggle._

"_Even demons can be killed. I will find a way." The Captain promises, while shooting angry glares at the Demon, the Dark One._

"_Well, good luck living long enough." He giggled with glee and then disappears in a puff of red smoke"._

* * *

With a start a figure jumps up out of their sleep. Their breathing a bit labored and stressed. Slowly he makes his way towards a safe in his room, and fully awake now, removes a box from the inside of it.

Emptying the contents onto the bed he fingers all of the little notes. Forty. That's how many notes he had received from the woman he befriended when his wife left him. Picking up the last letter he and Bae had gotten, he reads it, "_My travels are done for now. Bae and yourself, please stay safe. I'm coming home." _He never got to reply to any of the letters, for they all would appear on the stool of his spinning wheel. Reading it one last time, he then drifts back to sleep conflicted and uneasy, trying to figure out what he's going to do now.

* * *

**_AN:_ I hope you all enjoyed this Rumple point of view chapter. This story will sometime show key points in another point of view in order for certain details to be shown. :) So far this was my favorite chapter to write. Next chapter I'll be using some canon dialogue but I'll also try to change things up so it's not word for word. Thank you all for sticking with me! Ariz0na-Sky**


	6. War

**AN: This chapter was really tough to write. I'm at a moment where cannon meets AU and I'm trying to merge the two of them so they mesh well. As we get further into Starfish the more things will be turning into AU. I am trying to get through the 1st season as quickly and differently as I can, and then I can start bringing Killian back in with my take on season 2. The whole Fairy Tale land thing will occur, but after they get back, this story will turn COMPLETELY AU! YAY!**

**Sorry for taking more of your time, but here's Chapter Six, enjoy! :)**

* * *

She was numb to the world, until the sunlight that crept through the curtains splashed onto her closed eyes. Turning her head to the side she spied the alarm clock and groaned at the time. Her body was stubborn this morning, she did not want to move, it was warm, and she's cheering in joy, in thoughts at least, that she didn't wake up on a crappy bed in jail again. "Ugh, Never again." She groaned while sitting up.

Emma was not a morning person, and until she hopped in the shower and the water in there got her energized, she would be a zombie. She is a deep sleeper, to an extent. When she was a child in the system she learned to sense things while asleep. Little things, like if the door to her room was starting to open or if someone was above her watching her sleep. Those were the times her body automatically woke up. Anything else wouldn't phase her a bit.

Somehow she managed to get to the bathroom to shower, and when the warm water hit her she began to mentally wake up. It was going to be a busy day. She wanted to find out more about this "Mr. Gold", and when she gets the time, she wanted to hang out with Henry. Maybe do a bit of sightseeing, get to know the town a bit better.

She was drinking her morning coffee when a knock on the door interrupted her thoughts on where to sightsee first. After all, searching for Mr. Gold can wait at least until lunch, she had all day after all. The day started out looking pretty good, until she opened the door and Regina was there with a basketful of apples. _'Now what?_' "Yes?" Her eyes scanning the woman and fruit in front of her.

Regina stood there with a smile on her face and decided to speak, "Did you know the Honeycrisp tree is the most vigorous and hearty of all apple trees? It can survive temperatures as low as forty below and keep growing. It can weather any storm." Pausing her thoughts she looks at the deep red fruit with more affection than Emma has seen on the woman's face. After the slight pause she continued speaking, "I have one that I've tended to since I was a little girl. And to this day, I have yet to taste anything more delicious than the fruit it offers." She stopped with a fond smile on her face looking at the apple, then hands Emma the one she was holding.

Looking at Regina wearily she took the apple from her, "Thanks."

"I'm sure you'll enjoy them on your drive home."

_'There we go._' Emma was waiting for the reason for the early morning unannounced visit. "Actually, I'm going to stay for a while."

Regina's smile turns into a frown and then spoke with some hidden hostility, "I'm not sure that's such a good idea. Henry has enough issues. He doesn't need you confusing him."

"All due respect, Madam Mayor, the fact that you have now threatened me twice in the last twelve hours makes me want to stay more." Smug. That's what she felt, every time she said something that Regina wouldn't approve of.

"Since when were apples a threat?"

"I can read between the lines. I just want to make sure Henry's okay." She smiles to rub it in a little bit more, _'I also want to find out more of this Mr. Gold._' Of course she doesn't need to explain her plans or actions to Regina.

"He's fine, dear. Any problems he has are being taken care of."

"What does that mean?"

"It means I have him in therapy. It's all under control. Take my advice, Miss Swan. Only one of us knows what's best for Henry."

"Yeah, I'm starting to think you're right about that." She states, then leans against the doorframe.

"It's time for you to go." Regina's hands grip the basket in her hands tighter, her expression a warning to the blond in front of her.

Emma's eyes narrow, and she clutches the cup of coffee tighter while bringing it closer to herself, "Or what?", she countered then took a step closer to the mayor. She's not going to get intimidated by this insecure woman. _'Who does she think she is trying to manipulate and make me go? This is just going to make me want to stay even longer.'_

Regina, accepting the unvoiced challenge, took a step closer towards Emma as well then declared with barely hidden anger, "Don't underestimate me, Miss Swan. You have no idea what I'm capable of." Then doing a quick once over, turned around and walked away with the rest of the basket of apples still in her hands.

With a quiet, held in squeal of anger, Emma roughly closed the door. _'It's too damn early for this!_'

Thirty minutes later Emma found herself inside of Granny's Dinner reading the newspaper. Her face covers the front of the page, describing her accident with the town's sign, along with pesky little details like her time in the foster system and jumping from town to town. She's brought out of her musings when a mug of hot chocolate with what smelled like cinnamon in it, is put down in front of her by Ruby, the young woman from last night.

"Here you go." She then gives Emma a friendly smile and continues before Emma has a chance to speak, "You have an admirer."

Looking around the small diner Emma's eyes land on the Sheriff from earlier. Getting up she walked towards his booth and puts the hot drink down in front of him.

Graham greeted Emma with a friendly smile and said, "So you decided to stay."

"Observant. Important for a cop."

"It's good news for our tourist business, it's bad for our local signage." He grins at her, hoping she'd laugh at his attempt at humor. One quirk of Emma's eyebrows he stutters, a slightly bit embarrassed now, "It's… It's a joke. It's because you ran over our sign."

The man was cute as he tried to fix up his attempt at flirting with Emma. A bit of a butterfly fluttered by, but she wasn't staying long so it's not worth delving into flirting territory. "Look, the cocoa was a nice gesture, and I am impressed that you guessed that I like cinnamon on my chocolate because most people don't, but I am not here to flirt. So thank you, but no thank you."

The man's eye glittered with even more humor as she finished speaking, and knowing this was a bit funny smiled as he explained, "I didn't send it."

Emma feeling a bit embarrassed about her reaction towards the sheriff is about to turn around and walk out of the diner when Henry's voice was heard in one of the other booths, "I did. I like cinnamon, too."

Recovering from her public embarrassment walked over towards Henry and asked, "Don't you have school?"

"Duh. I'm ten." Getting up out of the booth he drinks the rest of his hot chocolate then turns towards Emma declaring, "Walk me."

* * *

The short walk to Henry's school with him had left Emma feeling energized and happy. This young kid was starting to worm his way into her isolated heart, and that both frightened and thrilled her.

Henry had said that she was the daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming. He must have gotten her sense of imagination, after all, she at one point was convinced that the dream she had years ago was real; perhaps that's what he's going through at the moment. Her eyes followed her son and before he entered the school, he turned around and smiled a gigantic grin, waved at her then went into the building.

Mary Margaret's eyes landed on hers and they both studied each other silently before the teacher started walking towards her. A smile in her voice as she addressed the woman Henry brought to town, "It's good to see him smiling so much. He hasn't done that in a long time." Pausing a moment to think, she spoke with a curious tone, "So you decided to stay, that's great."

"Yeah. For awhile at least." She pushes a piece of her hair back behind her ear and smiles a friendly grin back. For some reason she feels connected to this woman. Almost like Mr. Gold, but vastly different. Where she feels drawn and connected towards Mr. Gold, as a mystery to be solved, Mary Margaret feels like a vibe of a sister, not that she knows what a sister bond feels like, as she never had a sister; but, friends are the family you make for yourself.

"So." Emma broke the companionable silence. "What's with Henry's mother? Why has he not smiled in a long time?" Concern seeped through her voice, eyebrows creased with a bit of worry. 'She's tough, but I can see she loves him.'

"She inspires a lot of fear, but I worry that I caused more harm in their home life by giving him that book on fairy tales." She paused and with some regret to her voice continued, "Now he thinks Regina is the Evil Queen."

"Regina said he was seeing a therapist. Do you know where it's located?" Bringing her hand up to her chin in thought, she continues, "Maybe I can find out why he's assigning her as the Evil Queen in his childish book fantasy." Emma's thoughts start wandering, and she's hoping to find some answers. _'Yes, Regina is a hard headed, insecure bitch, but regardless of that, I'm still going to stay, just to show her to back off and relax, I'm not going to take him away from her. Shesh.'_

Mary Margaret put her hand on Emma's shoulder and it paused her train of thought. "Please, if you do think of them as childish fantasies, don't tell him that." Removing her hand she continues speaking gently, "He's a kid who needed hope of a better future, and that's why I gave him that book. He needed to believe in himself and to have hope. Hope that things can get better."

Emma, felt a bit ashamed as if she was being scolded by her mother of all things, just nodded. She knew that Mary Margaret was right with what she said, and her mood returned with a brighter light, and she smiled at her friend, "You're right. So, who does he think you are in his book?"

"He thinks I'm Snow White. Who does he think you are?"

Emma internally reels back in shock. There's no way this lady who's probably younger than her, is her mother. Yet, according to Henry it's because time had stayed still. "I- I'm not in it." Pausing to compose herself she changed the subject, "Do-do you know where I can find Henry's therapist?"

"Oh yes, I'm sorry, here let me give you the directions." Taking out a piece of paper she hastily wrote them down then handed it to Emma. "I've got to go, but maybe sometime we can get together?"

"Yeah, we can do that. Sounds fun." Giving the small teacher a tiny wave good bye, she turned around and walked away.

* * *

Arriving at the therapists door brought back a small hit of anxiety, until she steeled herself and knocked. A few minutes later the man she met when she first got to town, and who had given her the directions to Regina's house, answered the door.

Gesturing to the woman outside of his door, he also opened the door wider and said, "Come on in, make yourself comfortable." Closing the door after Emma passed by him he says with a bit of humor in his voice, "Let me guess, you're here about some post traumatic stress from hitting the town's sign?" A smile lit his face at the end of his sentence.

Smiling up at the man, despite her irrational fear of therapists, because come on, psychologists are a bit nerve wracking, she still wanted to be polite. "No, I'm sorry. Not today." Spying one of the chairs in the room she walked towards it and sat down, thumbs tapping against her thigh. "I'm here about Henry. What's his deal? Why is he thinking this town is full of crazy fairy tale nonsense?"

Sitting down in front of her, he pauses before he speaks and then says, "I'm not supposed to be doing this."

"I know. I just want to know something, anything that you can discuss. What's causing it?"

"I-I hope you don't talk that way in front of him. The word crazy is, um, quite damaging. These stories… They're his language. He has no idea how to express complex emotion, so he's translating as best he can. This is how he communicates, when he's using this book to help deal with his problems."

"He's only had the book a month though, has he been having problems before that?"

"Um, yes, he has."

"So it's his mother Regina, isn't it? Or something involving his home life?"

"Uh, his mother is, uh, a very complicated woman. And, uh, over the years, her attempts to try and bring Henry close to her only backfired." Archie stand up and goes to his cabinet. Pulling out a file he hands the thick, packet of notes towards Emma, "Why don't you take a look at the file? Um, see what I mean."

Emma fans through the thick file in front of her and spoke up, "I would love nothing more than to go looking through his files for the reasons of his sessions with you." Pausing a moment she then holds out the file and passes it back towards the doctor. "I can't take this. Thank you for giving me a few answers but I'm not his legal guardian, I don't have the rights to just go looking through his medical files just because I was asking a question. I'm sure this would help me a lot, as far as dealing with and understanding what's causing these problems but in good conscious, I can't do this."

Looking at the man in front of her she asks, "Why would you be willing to do this?"

The man who looked a bit ashamed answered saying, "You're very important to him. He talks about you a lot."

Nodding first, she then stands up from her chair and walks towards the office door, and opens it, but before she goes through it she speaks once more, "Thank you for telling me that. I would love to go through his file you know. But I can't risk your job by letting you breach the confidentiality between the two of you. The only time that can occur between a psychologist and his patient are when the doctor believes the patient is a threat to himself or others, or abuse is occurring. The fact you haven't called the police and reported anything, gives me faith that everything is fine." She then closes the door gently behind her and leaves.

For a late breakfast she ordered a stack of pancakes to go and was eating it in her room at the Bed & Breakfast. Henry was more like her than she had thought before. Both of them living in fantasy worlds, the only thing she had wished, was that her fantasy would've happened as a child like his is doing. It's harder waking up from a fantasy as an adult and having that crush you. Maybe one of these days she'll tell Henry about the fantasy world she had lived in at one point.

As she bit the fork that held another bite of her breakfast, her thoughts switched to those of Mr. Gold. She knew that she's have to ask someone eventually on where to find him so she can talk to him. Perhaps after she's finished eating here she'll start asking around.

Cutting into her stack of pancakes, she was about to take another bite when there was a knock on her door. Opening it, she spotted the sheriff from earlier standing there, "If you're worried about the 'Do Not Disturb' signs, don't worry, I left them alone."

His brown eyes crinkled with humor but it was quickly changed to that of, 'serious cop mode.' "Actually I'm here about something else. I'm here about Dr. Archibald Hopper. He mentioned you got into a bit of a row with him earlier?"

Her mood dropped, "No. I went over there earlier to talk about Henry, but then I left. We didn't get into a fight."

"I was shocked too. And given your shy, delicate sensibilities… He says you demanded to see Henry's files and when he refused, you assaulted him, pushed him against the wall and threatened to hurt him if he didn't comply. When he threatened to push the panic button for the police, you left."

Shock, then anger showed on Emma's face and she explained, "I did no such thing!"

"He's pressing charges. I'm sorry Miss. Swan, but you're under arrest again. This time for Attempted Robbery and Assault."

"What!?" She yelled in disbelief as Graham started to put the cuffs around her wrists. "You know I'm being set up!"

"Who would be setting you up?" Leading Emma outside and towards his patrol car.

"Regina!" She hissed. Emma was furious. She knew the Mayor was behind this. She didn't think that the woman would go to these lengths.

Graham opened up the car's door and gently put her in the backseat, "And why would she be setting you up?"

Waiting until he got into the drivers seat she just said, "She hates me for being here. She thinks I'm here to take Henry away, even though I wouldn't do that."

Arriving at the Sheriff station Graham started the booking process and had Emma in front of the camera and started to take her Mugshot.

Exasperated Emma is still bringing up her innocence and the conspiracy of the frame job. "You know the shrink is lying, right?"

Graham takes a picture of Emma looking at the camera, then once the 'click' of the camera is heard and the flash was seen says, "To the right, please. Why would he lie?"

Turning to the right she answered, "The Mayor put him up to this. She's got to have something on him. He's terrified of her like everyone else in this…town."

'Click.' Looking at Emma he speaks up, "To the left. Regina may be a touch intimidating, but I don't think she'd go as far as a frame job."

"How far would she go? What does she have her hands in?" She turns left with a slight twitch to her eye.

"Well, she's the Mayor. She has her hands in everything."

"Including the police force?" Eyebrow raised and suspicion laced her voice. She really hoped not. She could see that the sheriff was a nice fellow who was just doing his job, but she didn't like to think that the man in front of her couldn't think for himself.

He starts to lead Emma into one of the empty jail cells, when a door is heard being swung open and rapid footsteps running down the hall. Henry appeared, it looked like he was the one running, and coming up behind him was Mary Margaret.

"Hey!"

Graham turns towards the boy who trampled into the room, worry lacing his voice, "Henry! Henry, what are you doing here?"

"His mother told him what happened."

"Of course she did. Henry, I don't know what she said-"

Interrupting Emma, Henry explains, "You're a genius."

"What?" She asked, truly confused.

"I know what you were up to. You were gathering intel for Operation Cobra." Pride shown through his eyes, and he looked at Emma with pure joy on his face.

Looking confused Graham speaks up, "I'm sorry. I'm a bit lost."

"It's need to know, Sheriff. And all you need to know is that Miss Blanchard's going to bail her out."

Emma, shocked again says, "You are? By the way this isn't what I agreed to when we decided to meet up." She flashed the woman who wanted to bail her out with a smile. "Why help me out though?"

Returning the smile she said, "I'm sure we can find another time to hang out. I, uh, trust you. That's why I want to help."

Looking at the Sheriff with a determined set of eyes said with held back anger, "Well, if you can uncuff me, I have something to do."

Henry showed his mother, Emma, the garden shed where the tools were held, and grabbing a chain saw, she went towards the Mayor's office. This would be sweet justice, cutting down some of her tree with her own power tool.

Looking up at the window with glee, she then turned to look at the apple tree and started up the chainsaw. With one final look at the window she turned around and started to cut down the first thick branch she laid her eyes on.

A few moments later she heard Regina shouting, "What the hell are you doing?"

She turned off the power tool and then threw it to the ground, and watched the young Mayor speed walking towards her. "Picking apples."

Regina stopping in front of Emma, points her finger in the woman's face and says with visible anger, "You're out of your mind."

Not holding back her anger this time, Emma replies back, "No, you are if you think a shoddy frame job's enough to scare me off. You're going to have to do better than that. You come after me one more time, I'm coming back for the rest of this tree. Because, sister, you have no idea what I am capable of." Eyes narrowing she turns around and walks away, with a fuming Regina behind her.

Grumbling Emma made her way back towards the Bed & Breakfast. As she unlocked the door to her room, the Inn's owner, Granny spoke up behind her saying, "Miss Swan. Oh my, this is terribly awkward. Uh, I need to ask you to leave. I'm afraid we have a 'no felons' rule. It… It turns out it's a city ordinance."

She held in her rage. _'Damn that infuriating woman!'_. "Let me guess, the Mayor just reminded you of that. Can I get my things first please?"

Granny nods and Emma handed her the room key.

_'That woman is declaring war.'_ She thought to herself as she packed her meager things up. _'This is getting exhausting. This is just giving me more of a reason to stay longer!_' With an angry huff she threw her clothes into the bag on her bed.

Walking down the stairs and into the cafe Emma glanced at a copy of a paper that was left on one of the tables, and did a double take. Furry crossed her face and she grabbed the paper while sitting down to read the afternoon edition of "The Mirror".

Her face once again plastered on the front of the page, this time her time in Phoenix was shown. Everything. Every detail regarding her arrest and giving birth in jail. With fire blazing in her eyes she left the diner, a few patrons watching her through judging eyes.

Walking towards her car the anger that she was feeling before, rose to new heights. Her car was booted. Then her phone rang, unknown caller. "Yeah?"

Regina's sickly sweet voice wafted through the phone, "Miss Swan, I'd be happy to continue demonstrating my power, but am I right in guessing your resolve to stay is only growing?"

"You have no idea." She replied while leaning against her car.

"Well then. I think it's time we made peace. Why don't you drive over to my office? Or walk, whatever suits you."

* * *

Emma was now searching the town for Henry. She was stupid to believe that Regina would actually be handing out an olive branch of peace. Henry had overheard her telling Regina that she thought he was troubled, and his fantasy ideas were crazy. He had looked so devastated and hurt. Guilt crashed through Emma and she wanted to fix the grief she caused Henry.

He was a good kid, he didn't deserve both of his mother's at war with each other. They'd end up hurting Henry, and that's what happened this afternoon. She knows what's it's like to have made up a fantasy, she shouldn't have destroyed his happiness though.

Walking around town, she spots her friend Mary Margaret and walks up to her. "Hey."

It was like the woman could feel that Emma wasn't happy with something, "Hey. Do-do you want to come over?"

Smiling at the one friend she has in town, she nods. As they walk towards Mary's house they pass a bank and Emma quickly goes in, and a few minutes later emerges. "Hey. Just wanted to say thank you and, um, pay you back the bail money." She hands her friend the envelope of cash she was holding.

"Thank you." Smiling she took the envelope and they continued to walk to her house in companionable silence.

"So, what's wrong? You look like you need to talk." Making her way towards her kitchen she starts to make some hot chocolate.

"Thank you." Taking a sip of the hot chocolate she hums contently to herself and speaks up with a bit of surprise, "Cinnamon?"

Blushing, the host replied, "Oh, I'm sorry. I should've asked. It's a little quirk of mine. Do you mind?"

"Not at all. Oh, thanks. When you bailed me out, you said that you trusted me. Why?"

"It's strange. Ever since you arrived here, I've had the oddest feeling like we met before. And, I know it's crazy."

"That's not crazy. I have had that same feeling. Although I feel like I've met the mysterious Mr. Gold before." Seeing her friend's eyes start widening she continues, "I do feel comfortable around you as well."

"Mr. Gold huh?" She asks genuinely curious. "He's someone you have to watch out for as well. He's about as difficult as Regina is."

"Oh." She sure hopes not. She had hoped that Mr. Gold would be vastly different than Regina.

Sensing that Emma's mood was turning south, and not wanting to see her friend upset, Mary Margaret says with piped up saying, "For what it's worth, I think you're innocent."

Appreciating the change of subject, she smiled, then asked, "Of breaking and entering, or just in general?"

"Whichever makes you feel better."

"It doesn't really matter what anyone thinks I did or didn't do. I'm leaving. Thank you – for everything – but I think it's for the best. If I stay, Henry's only going to keep getting hurt."

"What happens if you go? I think they very fact that you want to leave, is why you have to stay. You care about him. Who will protect Henry if you won't?"

"You're right. I have to go." Looking around nervously she then asks, "Do you mind giving me a lift?"

Grabbing her coat, Mary Margaret replies with joy, "Of course not. Let's go."

Emma was quiet on the way to Archie's office. She knew Henry would be there, because of Regina earlier. In a way, that crappy moment was a blessing in disguise. Emma wouldn't have known that's where he'd be today, and if he forgives her, then their relationship would just get stronger.

Lost in her thoughts she jumped when her friend's voice crashed through, "We're here."

Jumping out of the jeep with a, "Thanks!" She then ran into the building and into Archie's office, interrupting their therapy session.

Archie, in shock jumped up and said in a panic, "Miss Swan! Look, I can explain. The Mayor forced me to-"

"Don't worry about it. I get it." She then Ignored the panicking man and kneels down in front of her son and apologizes, "Henry, I'm sorry."

Henry, still upset at his mother turns away and doesn't look at her. "I don't want to talk to you."

She gently touches Henry's shoulder and explained, "Henry, there is one simple reason I stayed here. You. I wanted to get to know you."

Looking at her, his eyes shining with unshed tears, he trembled saying, "You think I'm crazy."

"No, I think the curse is crazy. But, that doesn't mean that it isn't true. I know there are a lot of crazy things in this world. I've had my moments before as well. So what do I know. Maybe it is true."

"But you told my mom."

Smiling at her son she answers, "What she needed to hear. What I do know, is that if the curse is real, the only way to break it is by tricking the Evil Queen into thinking that we are non-believers. Cause that way, she's not on to us. Isn't that what Operation Cobra was all about? Throwing her off the trail?" She smirks seeing her son's voice turn ecstatic.

"Brilliant!" He jumps up and gives Emma a hug, which she gladly returns with smile as well.

"I've read the pages and, Henry, you are right. They are dangerous. There is only one way to make sure that she never sees them." She turns towards the fire in Archie's fireplace and tosses the torn pages of the book that Henry had given her earlier.

"I knew you were here to help me."

"That's right, kid. I am. And nothing, not even a curse, is going to stop that." She looked at him with pride and said, "Let's go to the castle, there's something I need to tell you before you see it for yourself." Nodding at his mother, the two of them leave Archie's office, with the doctor having a smile on his face as well.

* * *

Mr Gold was having an interesting day. He had read both of today's paper editions and felt bad that his friend's personal life was being broadcast for everyone to see. He had stayed cooped up in his shop all day long… he kept telling himself that he wasn't hiding, he was just doing inventory, so he wouldn't run into Emma on the street.

He was curious though, he needed to see how the Mayor was handling having the Savior in town now. So after hours of being holed up in his shop he decided to leave to see what kind of damage the two were doing to each other.

Of course when he decides to leave his shop, that's when Emma decides to walk past his vision, but she's too engrossed in what little Henry next to her was saying that she didn't even notice him.

He arrived at the Regina's office to see her cleaning up her tree that looked like it had seen better days._ 'Hmm Emma sure has a temper on her._' He chuckled to himself, pleased to see Regina's precious apple tree tortured. "What a mess."

Regina, pausing from picking up the last apple from the ground, looks up to see Mr. Gold standing there. "Not for long. What could I do for you, Mr. Gold?"

"I was just in the neighborhood. Thought I'd pop by. Lovely to see you in such high spirits."

Standing up, the smiling Regina replies with joy, "Well, it's been a good day. I just rid the town of an unwanted nuisance."

"Emma Swan. Really?"

"Yes. I imagine she's half way to Boston by now."

Ah today was a good day for him as well! He laughed a full hearty laugh inside, but outwardly only cracked a smile and said, "Oh, I wouldn't bet on that. I just seen her strolling down the main street with your boy. Thick as thieves, they looked."

Shock shown on Regina's face, and that was followed by a harsh, "What?"

"If Miss Swan is a problem you can't fix, I'm only too happy to help. For a price, of course." Regina didn't need to know that his reason was to just keep an eye out for Emma. Sure he wasn't going to actively search her out, but it didn't mean he wasn't going to watch her back from a distance.

As if she read his mind, Regina's eyes narrowed and she stated, "I'm not in the business of making deals with you anymore."

"To which deal are you referring?"

"You know what deal."

"Oh, right. Yeah. The boy I procured for you. Henry. Did I ever tell you what a lovely name that was? However did you pick it?" Of course he knew, but he wanted to rub in the pain.

Regina with a bit of anger in her voice, "Did you want her to come to town? You wanted all this to happen, didn't you? Your finding Henry wasn't an accident, was it?"

Of course not, but she didn't need to know that. He had to make sure his Savior got here, so what better way than to have a reason for her to come here. He didn't know that her son would be the one to actually leave and find her though. "Whatever do you mean?"

"Where did you get him? Do you know something?" She walked closer towards Mr. Gold, a frown marking her face.

"I have no idea what you're implying."

"I think you do. Who is this woman, his mother, this…Emma Swan?"

_'An old friend, that I'm watching out for now. Also, the key to unlocking the curse like I told you when you came to visit me.'_ He thought excitedly. He then looked at Regina in the eyes, and almost dared her to do something, "You know exactly who she is. I really must be going."

He's walking away and he's about to leave the yard when Regina blocks his path, "Tell me what you know about her."

Gowling low enough that she doesn't hear, but the he answers politely saying, "I'm not going to answer you, dear. So I suggest you excuse me." Leaning into Regina's face slightly, he adds, "Please." Then he leave the yards in better spirits than when he entered.

His work will be cut out for him, it might be harder to manipulate her than he had thought. Who doesn't love a puzzle? She is just a puzzle that he will have to solve. A smile graces his face as he walks back to his shop.

* * *

Sitting at Henry's Castle she handed over the news paper article, and was waiting for any kind of response from her son. Finally the silence was broken by his, "I was born in jail?"

Emma nodded sadly, "I had a rough time. I ended up going to jail because I made the mistake in trusting someone. I didn't know I was pregnant until I was sentenced."

He looked upset at finding out this, "Why didn't you want me?"

Sighing, she turned her head and looked out towards the rolling waves of the ocean before he and was silent for a few moments. "It's not that I didn't want you. I was eighteen and scared. I was in jail, I let the fear of being a bad mother make the decision. I wanted you to have the best life you could have. I was not in the position to raise a child right. When I would get out, the two of us, living in a car on the road. I wasn't mother material." She glanced at Henry and continued, "You are a smart, young man, who has a great life here."

He was about to interrupt her when she said that, but Emma held up a finger and he kept his thoughts, for now. "Even though Regina is intense, she has given you a better life then I could have. But, you finding me, was the happiest moment in my life. I wouldn't give this up for anything."

Henry launched himself at Emma and gave her a hug and said, "Please don't leave Storybrooke. Even if I don't live with you, I need you here with me!"

Nodding in happiness and mind made up, she knew she was going to stay. "Any more questions before I walk you back to your house?"

Nodding he asked with a quiet voice, "What about my dad?"

Sucking in a breath she answered in a shaky voice, "He doesn't know about you. He left before either of us found out I was pregnant. I didn't search him out, because I was hurt, and when he left, he didn't give me a way to reach him." She gently put her hands around his face and gentle said, "With my connections and my job, I could have found him, but I didn't want to."

He nodded sadly, and gave his mother another hug before the two stood up. Hand in hand, and hearts closer, Emma walked her son back towards his home.

* * *

**AN: I hope this was an okay chapter. Next Chapter, Emma finds Mr. Gold, and we'll see how that will work out. Stay tuned! :D**


	7. Truth and Denial

**AN: Here's the next installment, I had such a fun time writing this chapter.**

**One thing, I did change some key points in Chapter 1 involving Killian, and then Emma and Killian's 'Reunion' in the dream in Chapter 3. I wanted to let you all know I edited it so that the story flows better, and I really do love the changes I made to it. It's so much easier to read now! So, You might want to read those two changes (you don't have to read the whole story all over again, just those two parts), but when the two eventually meet again, you'll be slightly out of the loop if you don't know the changes.**

**Of course if you just started reading this story as of Chapter Seven's update then you don't have to worry about what I just said!**

**Anyway, onto the story!**

* * *

o0o0o0

It was cold. This wasn't the first time that Emma has had to sleep in her car. She's done it before, and because she was already used to her seats, it wasn't uncomfortable. She couldn't sleep though. It wasn't for lack of trying, or because it was chilly, she just couldn't get her thoughts to stop flowing through her mind.

So instead of counting sheep, she watched the stars above her, outside her window twinkling away. These last couple of days in Emma's life have been hectic. She was found by her son and with his ideas about this town being those of a fairy tale, she thought of the dream, or whatever it was that she had a long time ago.

When she had '_woken up_', she tried to summon electricity through her fingertips, but nothing happened. Merlin had taught her to harness magic through herself, not through books or spells. She had an affinity with three main things; healing, barriers and electricity. She knows how to use other elements, but she isn't as strong in them. Using the power within herself to form magic is true magic.

If you were not born with magic in your veins, and have to learn how to harness magic through books or other means it's not going to be as powerful. It's unnatural, it's forced.

Like being the Dark One for instance. His whole being was unnatural. Sure they have huge magical powers now, but in order to become that, you lost a big part of who you were. So you deal with living as a curse.

But all that was a dream. Magic doesn't exist. She missed the feeling that the magic had felt like. It was a warm vibrating feel, like your blood was massaging you from the inside. She hadn't had a pulled muscle, or stiff neck that whole time. She doesn't miss the part of being a squirrel though.

She knows that the man she met the previous night looked like a man she knew in that dream. The only thing that confused her, was how she could dream of a man she's never met before? Maybe it was a telepathic thing? That dream had awakened something within her years ago. She was more open to the idea of ghosts and the supernatural. This world is full of mysteries waiting to be solved, and there are many things that haven't been explained. So who is she to judge Henry in his beliefs? She can support him.

She fidgeted and switched positions, then once she got comfortable again, she pulled her blanket up to her chin, and fluffed up her baby blanket using it like a pillow. '_How will I talk to him without sounding nutty?_' Feeling the exhaustion finally hitting her, the last thoughts before sleep caught her were, '_Maybe I'll just try and be his friend without revealing anything. That world isn't real, after all, he's here, not in a dream like he was before.'_

o0o0o0

'Knock, knock, knock.' Emma peaked out from under her blanket and blearily looked at her window where she saw her friend Mary Margaret tapping on the window. Blinking her eyes awake, she rolled the window down and managed to croak out a "Good Morning" that didn't sound scratchy.

"You're sleeping in your car?" She looked at her friend in worry.

"Um. Yeah. Granny kicked me out, per Regina." Waking up more she took the blanket off of her and put it in the seat next to her, and got out of the car, stretching her arms above her as soon as the door closed. Turning to her friend she said softly, "Don't worry about it, I've done this before. It's not bad."

"Well, if you need a place to stay, I have an extra room available." Smiling, she handed her car sleeping friend a warm to go cup of hot chocolate.

Emma's gaze was curious and before she could ask, Mary Margaret said quickly, "I walked passed you earlier. Thought you might need something warm to wake up to."

"Thank you." She gazed at the young woman who was supposedly her mother, with a content look in her eyes. "Hey, would you know where I can find Mr. Gold at?"

Eyes widened a bit, but then she quickly fixed the shocked look and replied, "He's the owner of the Pawn Shop."

"Thank you. I want to go and talk to him today."

"Just be careful with dealing with him." She said gently while shifting on her feet a little bit.

"I will."

The two just stood there talking, leaning against her car, losing track of time. It felt nice having a girlfriend to talk to. She's never really had female friends before, and having one is a new experience.

Mary Margaret looked at the watch and her eyes widened and with a quick, "I'm sorry, I'm late. I have to go." Turning around to leave, she quickly turned back around and said, "Remember what I said, if you need a place to stay, my house is your house." With a last smile thrown towards Emma, she turned around and hurried away.

Reaching into her window Emma got out a new outfit, toothbrush and then she rolled up the window and locked the car. Throwing the now empty cup in one of the trash cans outside, she makes her way to Granny's Diner, and heads into the bathroom to change and make herself as presentable as possible.

Sitting at a booth eating breakfast and drinking a cup of coffee, Henry sits down in front of her, face exciting and grim at the same time.

Emma looked up at her son and watched him with worry. "What wrong?"

"We need to talk." Then he brings his face closer and starts to whisper, "It's about Operation Cobra, and the book."

"Okay. So why do you look so upset for?"

"We can't talk here, too many people. Meet me after school by the castle." Standing up from the table he gives her a hug good bye.

After hugging the moody kid in front of her back she stated, "Sure kid." Then watched him leave the diner.

She was worried. What did he need to talk to her about that sounded serious? She won't have the answers until he gets out of school though. Until then, she has the whole morning to track down Mr. Gold.

o0o0o0

It was that feeling again. A nagging feeling that something would be happening today. Mr. Gold did not like that feeling. He hated not knowing if something would be in his favor, or not, this unknown gut feeling was making him nervous. He does not do nervous!

So instead of dwelling on it, he decided to re clean everything in his shop. No one ever really came inside to buy anything, but encase one of the locals decided to change their minds he wasn't going to have them coming into a shop that looked filthy and unkempt. Not like the prison they put him in.

His back was turned while he was dusting the shelves behind the display case, when the chime of the shop chimed alerted him that someone had actually gotten the nerve to come see him. Without turning around he just said, "What is it you came to see me for?"

"Uhm, Mr. Gold?"

His hand stilled and he turned around at the woman's voice. His eyes caught the green ones of the newest resident, Emma. "Yes? How can I help you?"

Stepping closer she spoke up, "I know this might sound a bit crazy." At this her eyes broke away from the man and scanned the small shop, trying to regain her composure. She can do this. She tracks down wanted men and women, how would talking to this stranger be difficult? "I-I know you said we had never met before, but I have this nagging feeling that I've seen you somewhere. I never forget a face, but I can't remember the place."

Mr. Gold at hearing his friend's confession had honestly surprised him, again. He didn't think that she would've wanted the answers to her acquaintanceship with him. He knew she was a stubborn woman, who didn't believe in the curse or magic. So he assumed she'd just let this pass on right by as well.

He found out a month ago about Mary Margaret giving Henry a book on fairy tales that she had found in her closet. One of his associates at the school spotted the conversation happening and had reported it to him. He never got to read the book. He does know though that since the boy received it, he'd been scrutinizing everyone in town. Like he was trying to figure out a puzzle.

If he couldn't remove the doubt, then he knows nothing he says will make her change her mind. They knew each other years back, but they're a little more then strangers again. It's been years for her, centuries for him. They'd have to get to know each other again, and he's vastly different than the weakling of a man he used to be.

"As I stated before, I do not remember ever meeting you here before, other than the other night at the Bed and Breakfast."

Emma still worried about getting close to people, and so shutting people out is a default of hers. Hesitantly, she decides to try and get to know this man, after all, if she's staying in town for Henry's sake, she should start getting to know the locals and trying to put herself slightly out there.

"Okay then." She smiles then extends her hand as she's introducing herself, "Let's start off new. I'd like to get to know you. Maybe we can be friends, eventually. I'm Emma, or Swan. You can call me whatever you like."

Cautiously Mr. Gold returns the handshake, disbelief visibly shown on his face. '_She's wanting to start over at getting to know me?'_ "Mr. Gold." He said softly, re introducing himself. "What brings you into town, if I may ask?"

Smiling Emma replies, "Henry. He, uh, I gave him up because I wasn't ready to be a parent. I wanted him to have a better life than I had. He ended up finding me and I brought him back here."

"Ah yes. Letting a child go can be difficult." His eyes are glazed over, seeing something in his past. "Now that you found him, don't let him go." Regret weaved through the words, and he suddenly was brought out of his thoughts. He did not mean for her to hear those words, but she had this pull on him that made him talk and open up.

His eyes narrowed, suddenly defensive. He can't get close to this woman! Just intruding on his life like this is making him open up. Regina's here, he can't be seen as having a weakness! He already lost Bell, she was the biggest weakness he's had, and Regina had her almost destroy him. He can't have another!

The 'Dong' of the town's now working clock brought him out of his thoughts. His dagger was hidden there. He can't afford to be friends with this Swan, he has a curse he needs to break, through her of course. She can't break the curse standing here talking to him, being friends.

He is not the same guy that helped heal her wounds. He's a broken man, a demon. For her own good she can't be seen with him. With a heavy heart he knew what he'd have to do. He'll watch and keep an eye on her from afar, that's the only way he can be her friend, but they can't be seen actively hanging out being 'buddies'.

With an angry scowl now on his face his mood shifted. "Get out! I don't need friends, especially with the likes of you!"

Seeing the woman's eyes widening in shock, then anger, he doesn't give her a chance to say anything before he continues, "You won't be in town long anyway, I know your type! You settle in and get cozy but soon enough you'll leave this town. I do not need to make friends with someone who will have no business staying!"

Emma was furious! How dare he, this man, act like he knew her! Sure he was spot on about the moving around, but he could've just been polite about it. How could a stranger know so much about her, just by saying she was here for Henry? "You don't know me!"

"I know enough!" Eyes narrowing further he continues, "Leave, or I'll call the Sheriff and have you arrested for loitering!" At that his heart clenched, he didn't want her to go, but she's safer this way.

"Fine." With a scowl of her own she turned around and walked away and opened the door, but before she left she turned around and spoke quiet enough that Mr. Gold would have to strain to hear it. "I know how it is to push people away when they've hit a nerve close to home. I do it to, so thank you for doing it first, instead of letting me be the one to shut someone out first."

The quiet of the door closing was a sonic boom towards Rumple. Walking to the door he locked it then turned his sign to 'Closed'. He isn't in the mood to continue to work today.

o0o0o0

Emma walked down to the docks, trying to calm her mood down. What she said to the man, it was the truth. Sooner or later everyone did leave her, so she's glad he did it first before she got attached to him. The only person she should have the emotions to focus on, is Henry.

Arriving at the edge she sat down and just watched the water. It was always soothing towards her. She always loved the water, that's why in her fantasy dream she decided to take a chance and go sailing away. "Why can't life really be a fantasy? It was so much better." She mumbled to herself.

She was sitting there for hours, losing track of the time, and before she knew it the alarm on her phone went off letting her know it was time to head to the castle and speak with Henry. Sighing contently, mood much brighter and lighter, she headed towards the castle Henry loved so much.

o0o0o0

She arrived the same time as her son did, and as soon as the two sat down he began to speak. "Remember how I said you were in the book, and showed you a picture of a baby in a blanket with the name Emma?"

"Yes. What has that got to do with anything about Operation Cobra?"

"I found something else, you're in another chapter!"

Emma scoffed. "Yeah sure kid. Another drawing of a baby me?"

He's bubbling over with excitement and pulled out the book, and said very joyfully, "I was looking at the book last night, and a chapter I hadn't seen before was suddenly there! I don't know why I didn't notice it at first, but woah!" He flipped through the pages and then found what he was looking for and started to hand his mother the book. "Look!" Eyes bright and cheerful. It was like Christmas came early for him. "Read this! How come you never told me you were there?"

Looking at the first page, she felt her heart stop. It was a random story about one of Merlin and her's adventures. '_No one knows what Merlin looks like, as he wanders the world in many forms; however, Zoso the Dark One, stumbled upon a powerful magic user and witnessed him teaching magic to an animal of the forest. It is __rumored__ that mysterious man was the elusive Merlin.' _On that page was a crude drawing of her dream's father figure, Merlin. Merlin had a squirrel on his shoulder and they were standing at the waters edge of a lake. Looking closely at their reflection in the lake, it looked like a teenage Emma was standing behind Merlin peeking out above his shoulder, instead of the squirrel being there.

Her dream was real? No way! This is fantasy, it's a book! Why is she in it!?

Turning the page she froze, fingers gripping the paper tightly. The first picture in front of her was of Zoso on the ground dying and standing above him was the newest Dark One, Rumpelstiltskin in his new dark form. Emma's eyes widened. Then she quickly scanned the pages in front of her, drinking in some of the words greedily. 'Rumpelstiltskin_ in a fit of rage because of Zoso taunting his son's lineage, stabbed the Dark One with their weapon of power and killed him. That action then resulted in __Rumpelstiltskin's__ transformation into the newest Dark One.' _

She slammed the book closed and started to hyperventilate.

Henry, not knowing his mother would react like that started to panic, and got in front of his mother and gently held her face. "Mom! Mom! You need to breathe. In and out! I'm sorry!"

She couldn't breath, she was in shock. How was this possible? Magic didn't exist, if it did, and this was real she should have been able to still use magic. '_So what happened? I time traveled some how?' _Thought's kept racing and she suddenly is jerked out of her thoughts by a rough slam into her. Focusing her eyes, they land on the crying Henry holding on to her.

Gently she puts her arms around him and she holds him and calms him down, while trying to calm her racing heart as well.

When no sounds were heard from either of them, Emma broke the silence. "I had a dream once." She began, quietly and softly. "Where I was in this magical world with Pirates, Monsters and all kinds of Magic."

Pausing for a moment she looked down at her son that was still in her arms, listening intently. "It was the most vivid dream that I have ever had. But it was a dream. I woke up from it. I even tried to do a silly thing like magic to try and prove to myself that it was real. Nothing happened."

Henry spoke up then, "What if that dream you had was supposed to help you believe? You're the savior, you need to believe. You're in the book! You were there some how, it couldn't have been a dream!"

Sadly she looks in front of her and says, "Honey it's not real. They're stories. Dreams can be magical in their own way. I actually believed it was real for a few weeks afterwards, but then I had to grow up. Looking back, it was a lovely dream full of adventures and mystery." She ruffled his hair affectionately. "I will help you with your lifting the curse theory. I just can't believe in magic and fairy tales. Maybe someday I can believe in that again, but it won't be today."

Henry wanted his mother to believe, but how can he get her to believe even if she denies seeing something in front of her eyes, like her being in the book? He did understand where she's coming from, he's ten, it doesn't mean he lacks intelligence though. His task just got harder, he would have to find a way for his mother to believe in the magic she used to believe in. "You just have to believe in me, and I'll find a way to help you believe again."

Smiling at Henry she nodded, emotional roller coaster is now back to ground level. "Alright kid."

"So…" He said slyly, interest back in his tone, "Can you tell me about the dream you had? It sounds awesome!"

Laughing out loud and wanting to humor him, she nods, then starts the story. "I arrived in this small village along the coast…"

Henry was now sitting cross legged in front of her, elbows on his knees, and chin resting on his palms, listening to the end of his mother's tale. "... then with a flash of light enveloping my vision, I woke up!" It was now diner time, and both of their stomach's rumbled in protest at not having eaten anything yet. He looked at his watch and panicked, it was almost five-thirty, he has five minutes before he's got to being at home. "Oh mom! I'm sorry I need to run I'm going to be late!" Jumping up and grabbing his backpack with the book back in it, he starts to run towards his house.

"Don't you want me to take you home?" She asked, jogging next to the worrying child next to her.

Stopping to talk to her he says confidently, "No. I don't want to cause anything else between you both. It'll be best if I go alone."

"Alright, if you say so."

Henry turns around again, but then deciding against it whispers at Emma "Meet me tomorrow, we'll bury the book, it's too dangerous for someone else to read it now." Smiling he waves good bye and turns around and starts heading back to his house.

She went to the diner to go get diner and sat down at an empty booth. It sure was an emotional day. She went to find Gold and it looked like they had something in common about letting kids go, but then he runs her out of his shop. Then Henry shows her a book that had two moments of her "dream" captured in it. That was just bizarre. She couldn't wrap her head around that. Did she sometime in her childhood read a book on fairy tales and it hid into her subconscious and that's why she had such a vivid dream? But why such an almost alike picture of her? It doesn't make sense.

She recalled the whole dream, and told most of it to Henry, much of it edited to suit a child's ears of course. She told him of her time with Merlin and the craziness of it, and that yes, she did change into a squirrel at one point. She even admitted that while in the dream, she dreamed, until one night after talking to Merlin, then all the 'in dreaming' stopped. Even now she hadn't remembered a dream since she woke up from the one on the beach in Oregon. '_Shit, I haven't had a dream in ten years!'_

For Emma going to sleep, it's all just, sleeping, then darkness and then waking up. Thinking of that, made her feel oddly lonely, and a bit scared for an unknown reason. Like she suddenly remembered she's missing something, after being told by someone else that it was gone.

"Hey."

The voice of Graham made Emma jump from the deep fearful thoughts that she was heading towards. She was glad for the distraction though.

"You aren't here to arrest me again are you?" She commented slyly, a smirk on her face.

The sheriff in front of her just smiles, his eyes crinkling at her response. "No. Sorry. Not this time." Pausing he looks at her curiously then remarks, "Are you alright? You looked a bit ill there for a moment."

"I'm alright. I was just in deep thought." Looking into his eyes she could see that he was genuinely concerned for her, and that made her stomach do a little flip. Maybe reaching out and becoming friends with him won't be as treacherous as Mr. Gold.

"You know. We didn't really start on a good note." Extending her hand and smiling a friendly grin she continues, "I'm Emma."

Graham's smile beamed right at her and he shook her hand and replied, "I'm Graham. Nice to meet you." Letting go of her hand he said with regret, "I'm sorry I can't stay long. I'm just picking up dinner for the late shift, Leroy is back in the cell again." Seeing Emma's face falling he quickly adds, "Maybe we can meet up sometime?"

Nervously putting a piece of her hair back behind her ear, she replies with a smile that lit her face, "Yes. I'd like that."

"It was good to see you again, outside of the station." He grins at her, and after hearing Emma's laugh at her small expense left the diner in better spirits than when he went in.

Emma smiled. '_Well. Maybe it wasn't too bad a day after all.'_ As that thought passed through her Ruby put down the plate containing her grilled cheese and bowl of tomato soup in front of her. Grinning one more time to herself, she dug in. Mood lifted and feeling a whole lot better then this afternoon.

o0o0o0

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**AN: I had a really good time writing this chapter! Things are starting to merge, AU with some Canon key points. For those of you worried after reading this, and I'm sorry to also say this because I love Graham, but one of the Canon key points does involve him, and with a change to his canon role, but not changed enough. This story will be having a character death involved... T_T I know, I don't like deaths either, but it'll have to happen for events to occur so that Emma can break the curse.**


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